ESZXtEXV 

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Duke  University  Libraries 

Annual  message 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #222 

DCH070530X 


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GOVERNOR'S   MESSAGE. 


EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 

MlLL!  IKU'.VILLE,  G.A.,  KuV.  G,   1SG1. 

-  F<JI>iir-Ci'iz,  ns  of  (he  Senate 

and  Rouse  bf  Repj  esentafives : 

Prior  to  the  Revolution  of  J'WG,  our  State,  aud  the  other 
Atlantic  States  of  this  Continent,  were  Colonies  of  the  Brit- 
ish Government,  created  by  it  and  subject  to  its  control. — 
The  people  then  had  only  such  civil  rights  a8  were  recog- 
nized by  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain,  while  the  Colp- 
nies  neither  possessed  nor  claimed  inherent  sovereignty. 

The  inhabitants,  mostly  ot  British  origin,  were  attached 
to  the  Crown,  and  were  in  the  enjoyment  of  prosperity  and 
happiness,  till  the  government  conceived  the  plan  of  en- 
riching and  aggrandizing  itself  by  imposing  onerous  and 
oppressive  burdens  upon  the  Colonies.  The  people  remon- 
strated against  these  aggressions  in  the  most  respectful 
manner,  giving  assurances  ol'  their  loyalty  and  petitioning 
tor  a  redress  of  grievances.  Their  petitions  were  disre- 
garded and  their  natural  rights  trampled  upon  by  an  unwise 
and  ambitious  ministry. 

Finally,  when  it  was  ascertained  that  their  own  govern- 
ment had  ceased  to  be  their  protector  and  had  become  their 
oppressor,  and  that  the  only  alternative  left  was  submis- 
sion or  resistance  to  tyranny,  they  threw  off  the  yoke  and 
boldly  defied  the  power  of  the  British  Crown.  The  Repre- 
sentatives of  the  people  met  in  Convention,  and  appealing 
to  the  God  of  the  universe  for  the  rectitude  of  their  inten- 
tions and  humbly  and  fervently  invoking  His  assistance  in 
the  mighty  conflict  in  which  they  were  about  to  engage,. 
declared  that  the  Colonies  were,  and  of  right  ought  to  be- 
free,  Sovereign  and  Independent  States.  An  attempt  was 
then  made  by  force  of  arms  to  coerce  the  Colonies  back 
into  a  union  with  the  British  Government.  In  this  conflict 
the  disparity  of  physical  strength  was  fearful.  The  Gov- 
ernment of  Great  Britain  was  a  power  of  the  first  magni- 
tude, possessing  large  fleets  and  armies,  thoroughly  equip- 
ped and  armed  with  the  best  military  weapons  of  the  age. 
The  Colonies  were  without  fleets  or  armies,  numbering  but 
three  millions  of  people,  badly  trained,  almost  destitute  of 


arms  or  military  equipments,  relying  alone,  under  the  bles- 
sing of  Heaves,  upon  their  Btout  hearts  ami  strong  arms 
and  the  inherent  justice  of  their  cause.  The  war  was  long 
and  bloody.     The  world  knows  the  result. 

sTATK    KHillTS. 

Soon  after  the  achievement  of  our  independence,  the 
great  and  good  men  who  conducted  the  revolution,  met  in 
Convention  and  entered  upon  the  work  of -forming  a  Consti- 
tution, and  establishing  the  government  upon  a  permanent 
basis.  In  that  convention  it  was  discovered  that  great  di- 
versity of  opinion  existed,  as  to  the  proper  form  of  the  per- 
manent government.  Some  very  able  and  influential  per- 
sons favored  the  plan  of  a  limited  monarchy,  similar  to  t  hat 
of  Great  Britain,  or  some  other  strong  government  which 
would  consolidate  the  sovereignty  of  the  States  in  the  em- 
pire, and  place  the  supreme  power  in  the  hands  of  the  few. 
Many,  who  did  not  aspire  to  the  throne  in  case  of  the  es- 
tablishment of  monarchy,  no  doubt,  looked  for  positions  as 
ministers  at  court,  or  for  dukedoms  and  other  grades  of 
noble  hereditary  distinction  that  would  elevate  them  and 
their  posterity  to  permanent  ruling  positions  above  the 
great  mass  of  their  fellow-citizens.  This  class  of  persons 
opposed  the  great  doctrine  of  Stats  Rights  and  sought  to 
divest  the  States  of  their  sovereignty,  and  virtually  to  con- 
vert theminto  mere  provinces  ofa  consolidated  central  power. 
The  doctrines  of  this  class  of  statesmen  were,  however,  suc- 
cessfully combated  in  the  convention  by  the  great  cham- 
pions of  the  doctrine  of  State  Ste&reigKty,  who  succeeded  in 
procuring  the  sanction  of  the  convention  to  a  constitution, 
which,  while  it  delegated  to  the  general  government  such 
attributes  of  sovereignty  as  were  necessary  to  conduct  the 
foreign  affairs  of  a,  confederation  of  States,  and  to  regulate 
such  internal  affairs  between  the  States  necessary  to  the 
good  of  the  whole  as  were  beyond  the  control  of  a  single 
State  confederated  with  sister  States,  reserved  to  each  State 
its  inherent  sovereignty,  with  power  to  exercise  all  its  at- 
tributes except  such  as  were  expressly  granted  to  the  gen- 
eral Government,  or  such  as  were  necessary  to  carry  into 
effect  the  delegated  powers. 

After  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution,  a  conflict  again 
arose  between  the  two  classes  of  statesmen  above  men- 
tioned. The  one  class,  headed  by  the  great  statesmen  of 
Virginia,  contended  that  the  federal  government  should,  in 
practice,  be  confined  to  the  exercise  of  the  powers  delega- 
ted to  it  by  the  Constitution,  leaving  to  the  States  the  exer- 
cise of  all  their  reserved  powers.  The  other  class,  headed 
chiefly  by  Northern  statesmen,  attempted,  by  a  latitudina- 
rian  construction  of  the  Constitution,  to  accomplish  indi- 
rectly what  they  had  failed  to  secure  directly,  and  to 
consolidate  the   government  by   the  assumption,  in  prac- 


3  fW£  FLOWEnS  COlLEOi 

tice,  of  powers  not  delegated  by  the  States.  The  conflict 
has  lasted  through  a  long  series  of  years,  and  the  fortunes 
of  the  two  classes  of  statesmen  at  different  times  and  under 
different  names,  have  been  as  various  as  the  ebbs  and  floods 
of  popular  sentiment  under  different  influences  and  con- 
trolled by  different  interests,  have  been  unstable.  The 
statesmen  of  the  original  federal  school,  have,  however, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  tariff  laws,  navigation  acts,  fish- 
ery laws,  and  other  legislation  intended  '"  build  up  and 
foster  Northern  interests  at  the  expense  of  Soul  hern  indus- 
try, succeeded  in  directing  the  Northern  mind  inlo  the  con- 
solidation channel.  By  the  instrumentality  of  these  Laws, 
the  government  of  the  United  Stales  has  poured  the  wealth 
of  the  productive  South  into  the  lap  of  the  bleak  and  sterile 
North,  and  the  people  of  the  iee-elad  hills  of  New  England 
have  grown  rich  and  haughty  upon  the  tribute  which  lhe\ 
have  levied  on  the  productions  of  the  sunny  South.  The 
result  has  very  naturally  been,  that,  they  have  learned  to 
look  up  to  the  government  which  taxed  our  industry  for 
their  advantage  and  enriched  them  at  our  expeuse,  as  the 
great  dispenser  of  all  benefits;  and  they  have  sought  to 
strengthen  its  hands  and  enlarge  its  powers,  by  weakening 
the  hands  and  diminishing  the  powers  of  the  States.  They 
were  willing  to  consolidate  the  government,  if  t\ie.  govern- 
ment would,  in  turn,  enrich  them.  They  have  used  the 
slavery  question  to  excite  the  masses  and  to  'place  in  power 
such  men  as  would  administer  the  government  for  their 
benefit. 

The  people  of  the  Southern  States,  who  have  been  the 
sufferers  under  the  operation  of  the  federal  government, 
which  has  drawn  from  them  the  incomes  of  their  labor  to 
enrich  their  Northern  neighbors,  have  very  naturally  op- 
posed the  consolidation  of  all  power  at  ^ "ashington  and 
have  maintained  the  doctrine  of  State  ULightA  as  their  only 
security  against  the  encroachments  oi  haughty  and  unre- 
strained imperial  power.  They  endured  wrongs  and  sub- 
mitted to  injustice  till  their  wrongs  were  no  longer  suffera- 
ble.  They  again  and  again  warned  the  people  of  the  Nor- 
thern States  of  the  consequences  of  further  aggression. — 
Their  warnings  were  unheeded  and  their  remonstrances 
were  met  with  renewed  acts  of  injustice.  Seeing  that  there 
was  no  further  safety  for  them  in  the  Confederacy,  each  one 
of  eleven  States  in  its  separate  capacity  as  an  independent 
sovereign  power,  asserted  its  original  rights  by  resuming 
all  the  attributes  of  its  original  sovereignty.  The  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States,  is  now  in  fact  a  consolidated  mili- 
tary despotism,  and  its  Executive  who  claims  and  exercises  the 
right  to  suspend  the  writ  of  Hab  -as  I  Sorpus  and  to  impris- 
on in  chains  or  take  the  lives  of  the  citi/.ens  of  the  States  of 
that  government  at  his  pleasure,  denies  the  sovereignty  of 


The  8  a  the  doctrine    •      S        Rig     .claims 

that  theStati  -  subject  to  the  central  of  the  federal 

government  (whioh  is  intact  their  mere  agent)  as  were  the 
Colonies  to  tin-  British  Crown;  and  imitating  the  nowise 
and  niijusi  policy  of  the  Britisl  government  in  i?7i>.  oow 
attempts  to  coerce  the  eleven  Receded  St;  into  the 

Union,  and  by  fores  ol  awns  to  subject  tbena  to  I  he  govern- 
ment and  control  of  that  despotism.  To  accomplish  this 
wicked  purpose  and  i  i  our  subjugation  md  degrada- 

tion, he  has  made  w«f  upon  as,  blockaded  our  pons,  and 
invaded  our  territory  with  large  armies,  in  violation  ofev- 
erv  rule  of  modern  wuriare.  he  has  permitted  his  soldie 
disregard  the  rights  el  private  property  and  to  inflict  the 
Rips*  grievous  wrongs  upofi  unoffending  women  and  chil- 
dren. By  thi  asfc  of  the  (*od  of.  battles,  we  have 
his  hosts  in  the  field,  and  against  vast;  superiority  ol'  mtm- 
aod  of  preparation,  we  have  repeatedly  disperse  1  and 
driven  them  hack  with  wild  consiernai  ion  a1  d  great  slaugh- 
Siill  he  persists  in  his  wicked,  purpose  ol  forcing upan 
us  the  choice  between  submission  to  tyranny  and  the  vig- 
orous .prosecution  ol' a  protracted  w!af.  Our  lives,  our  lib- 
erties, our  wives,  our  children,  our  property,  our  ail,  are  at 
stake  in  this  contest.  A  gracious  Providence  Lias  given/us 
the  resources  in  men.  money  and  means,  to  live  within  our- 
selves and  to  maintain  the  wai  against  the  invader  I'm- a 
whole-  generation,  ]>ul  one  alternative  is  hit  us  and  but 
one  response  can  be  given  to  the  inquiry  as  to  our  future 
policv.  That  response  is  on  the  tongue  of  every  freeman, 
it  is  felt  from  breast  to  breast,  and  heard  from  lip  to  lip.  re- 
verberating from  the  hill  tops  to  the  mountains  and  from 
the  mountains  to  the  vallies,  VictOty  on  r  the  inradcr,  or  death 
10  the  last  man  sooner  than  ae/l,ioir/<</<>e  that  in- are  nin</nishcd. — 
The  hearts  of  the  whole  people  of  the  seceded  States,  are 
as  the  heart  of  one  man,  and  that  great  heart  beats  respon- 
sive to  the  patriotic  sentiment,  that  the  enemy  may  exter- 
minate us  if  he  has  the  power,  but  compter  us,  he  never 
shall. 

UNCONSTITUTIONAL      LEGISLATION      DANGEROUS       To      STATE 

RIGHTS. 

The  Constitution  formed  by  the  Convention  and  since 
adopted  by  each  of  the  eleven  Confederate  Slates,  is  the  old 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  amended  and  improved 
in  such  particulars  as  the  experience  of  three  quarters  of  a 
centurv  had  shown  to  be  necessary.  Under  this  Constitu- 
tion, the  new  government  of  the  Confederate  States  is  now 
in  successful  operation  and  is  maintaining  itself  with  great 
ability  both  in  the  Cabinet  and  in  the  held.  The  action  of 
our  Congress  has  been  generally  characterized  by  pru- 
dence,  wisdom    and  forethought.       While    I    take    much 


pleasure  in  making  this  statement  and  in  yielding  to  the 
new  government  my  hearty  and  cordial  support,  the  can- 
dor, which  I  would  exercise  towards  a  friend,  compels  me 
to  say,  that  in  my  judgment,  two  important  acts  passed  by 
our  Congress,  are  hard  to  reconcile  with  the  plain  letter 
and  spirit  of  the  Constitution. 

The  iGth  item  of  the  8th  section  of  the  1st  article  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  Confederate  States,  is  in  these  words: 
"Congress  shall  have  power"  "To  provide  for  organizinir, 
arming  and  disciplining  the  militia,  and  for  governing  such 
part  Of  tltem  as  mav  bfe  employed  in  the  service  of  the  Con- 
federate States.  /•,  to  the  States  respectively,  the  apjioim- 
mmt  of the  ojjhcevs  and  the  authority  of  training  the  militia 
according  to  t!m  discipline  prescribed  fey  Congress."  The 
first  seel  ion  of  1  he  act  o:'  ;l,e  Congress  of  the  Confederate 
States  approved  ^th  May  L8&L,  authorizes  the  president  to 
accept  i  lie  services  of  volunteers  who  may  oiler  t  heir  -  - 
vices  without,  regard  to  the  place  of  enlistment.  The 
ond  section  of  the  act  is  in  these  wor 

"That  the  volunteers  go  oil,  rim-  their  set 
cep;  ni.  in   companies  to  be  organized  by 

him  into    squadrons,   battalions,  or  regiments.     T. 
dent  shall  (tppomt  all  fa  hi  ■  ■  ■  •,  but  tlie   Got 

oHicers  simll  be  elected   by  the  i  mposifig  the  <  '...Mipa- 

riyjarid  if  accepted,  tl  d  shall  be  cornvm- 

d  />>i  ili<  P     .'.  \i  !#'■? 

The  first  seotjOH  of  the  act  6|)pirO¥€cl  Nth  May  ISfU,  is 
in  these  words  : 

"That  the  President  be  authori/.' 1  to  receive  into  service 
such  companies,  battalions  or  regiments,  either  mounted 
or  on  foot,  as  may  tender  themselves  and  he  may  require, 
inlhout  tKb  df/aij  of  a  formal  call  upon  the  ■resprclive  Stairs,  to 
serve  for  such  term  as  he  may  prescribe." 

And  part  of  the  third  section  of  said  act  is  in  ihese  words  : 

"The  President  shall  be  authorized  to  commission  all  opens 
entitled  to  commissions  of  such  volunteer  forces  as  may  be  re- 
ceived under  the  provisions  of  this  act." 

The  language  of  our  Constitution  is  the  same  that  is 
used  in  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  it  is  be- 
lieved that  the  term  Militia,  as  there  used  when  applied  to 
troops,  was  always  understood  to  be  in  contradistinction  to 
the  term  regular*  The  Constitution  gives  to  Congress  the 
power  to  "raise  and  support  armies."  Under  this  authori- 
ty our  regular  arimj  is  enlisted  and  its  officers  are  appointed 
by  the  government  under  whose  authority  it  is  raised.  In 
this  case  there  is  no  restraint  upon  the  power  of  Congress, 
and  it  may  therefore  confer  upon  the  President  the  power 
to  appoint  all  the  ollicers.  In  the  case  of  the  Militia,  which 
term  includes  Volunteers  and  other  Military  forces  not  em- 
braced in  the  regular  arnvj,  the  same  unrestrained  power  is 


A 


•7R41 


not  granted.  "While  the  States  have  delegated  to  Congress 
the  power  of  organizing,  arming  and  disciplining  the  Mili- 
tia,  and  of  governing  such  part  of  them  as  mav  be  employ- 
ed in  the  service  of  the  Confederacy,  they  have  express 
served  to  themselves  the  appointment  of  tin  officers,  and  have 
therefore  expressly  denied  to  Congress  the  right  to  confer 

that  power  on  the  President  or  any  other  person.  Not- 
withstanding t  he  express  reservation  l>y  the  States  of  this 
power,  the  acts  abo\  e  referred  to.  authorize  the  President 
■  eept  the  Volunteer  Militia  of  the  States  independent- 
ly of  State  authority  and  to  commission  every  officer  of  a 
Regimen  I  from  a  third  Lieutenant  to  a  Colonel.  This  act, 
by  vesting  in  the  President  the  power  of  appointing  the  <>tji- 
of  the  Militia,  which  power  the  States  have  carefully 
and  expressly  reserved  to  1  he,:  H'l\e>.  enables  him  to  con- 
trol, independent  of  State  authority  the  Whole  consolidated 
Military  force  of  the  Confederacy,  including  the  Miliiia  as 
well  as  the  regulars.  If  this  practice,  is  acquiesced  in,  the 
Confederate  government,  which  has  the  control  of  the 
purse,  with  the  power  to  tax  ihe  people  of  the  States  to 
any  extent  at  its  pleasure,  also  acquires  the  supreme  control 
of  the  Military  force  of  the  States,  and  with  both  the 
SWOrd  and  the  purse  in  its  own  hands  mav  become  the  im- 
•ollahle  master  instead  of  the  useful  Servant  of  the 
States. 

I  am  not  aware  of  any  case  in  which  the  Government  of 
the  United  States  prior  to  its  disruption,  ever  claimed  or 
exercised  the  power  to  accept  volunteer  troops,  commission 
their  officers  and  order  trbem  into  service,  without  consult- 
ing the  Executive  authority  of  the  Stale  from  which  they 
were  received.  The  idea  does  not  seem  ever  to  have  oc- 
curred to  President  Lincoln,  so  long  as  he  held  himself 
bound  by  any  constitutional  restraints,  that  he  had  any 
power  to  accept  troops  from  the  border  States  to  assist  in 
coercing  as  into  obedience,  without  the  prior  consent  of 
the  Executives  of  these  Stares.  Ilenee  he  made  his  call  up- 
on them  for  troops  and  met  a  repulse  that  turned  the  tide 
of  popular  sent  imenf  in  our  favor  in  most  of  those  States 
and  redounded  greatly  to  ihe  salvation  of  the  South.  Du- 
ring the  war  of  I  M  •_'.  when  Massachusetts  refused  to  send 
her  troops  out  of  the  State,  the  plea  ofnectssittf  might  have 
been  set  up  by  Mr.  Madison,  as  a  jus!  ilieal  ion  to  some  ex- 
tent, for  such  an  encroachment,  hut  neither  he,  who  had 
participated  so  largely  in  the  formation  of  the  Constitution, 
nor  theCougress  in  t  ha*  day  seemed  to  have  it'll  justified  even 
by  necessity  in  adopting  any  such  measure.  In  the  present 
instance,  the  plea  of  necessity  could  not  be  set  up,  as  it 
will  not  be  pretended  that  the  Executive  of  any  State  in 
the  Confederacy,  had  refused  to  respond  promptly  to 
each   and   every    call   made  upon  him  for   troops.     Even 


now,  I  believe  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  the  number  requir- 
ed in  each  and  every  case  of  each  and  every  Executive,  has 
been  promptly  furnished. 

These  acts  have  also  been  very  inconvenient  in  practice. 
The  Secretary  of  War  has  frequently  made  requisition  up- 
on me  as  the  Governor  of  this  State  for  troops ;  these  I 
have  promptly  furnished.  Thirty  Regiments  and  three 
Battalions  of  State  troops  have  gone  into  the  service  of 
the  Confederacy.  Of  this  number  twenty-one  Regiments 
and  three  Battalions  have  been  armed,  accoutred  and 
equipped  by  the  State.  We  now  have  accepted  and  nearly 
all  in  the  field  of  State  troops,  not  in  Confederate  service, 
seven  Regiments  and  three  Battalions,  which  with  the 
help  of  the  country  firms  in  use,  are  being  fully  armed, 
equipped  and  accoutred  by  the  State.  We  also  have  in 
service  from  Georgia  leu  Regiments,  which  have  been  ac- 
cepted by  the  President  independent  of  State  authority, 
making  thirty-seven  Regiments  and  six  Battalions  of  State 
troops,  and  ten  Regiments  of  independent  or  Confederate 
troops.  Counting  two  Battalions  as  a  Regiment,  Georgia 
has  therefore  in  service  fifty  Regiments,  forty  of  State 
troops  and  ten  independent.  Including  a  i'ew  country  arms 
she  has  armed,  accoutred  and  equipped  thirty  of  these  Regi- 
ments. On  several  occasions,  after  1  have  putcompaniesunder 
orders  for  the  purpose  of  filling  requisitions  made  upon  me, 
I  have  learned  that  these  companies  had  previously  left  the 
State  without  my  knowledge,  which  caused  delay  growing 
out  of  the  necessity  of  ordering  in  other  companies  to  fill 
their  places.  So  long  as  there  are  two  recognized  milita- 
ry heads  in  the  State,  each  having  the  power  to  order  out 
the  Militia  without  informing  the  other  of  the  companies 
ordered  by  him,  conflict  and  confusion  must  be  the  inevita- 
ble result.  Again,  as  these  independent  Regiments  receive 
their  commissions  from  the  President,  and  leave  the  State 
without  ollicial  notice  to  the  Executive,  there  is  no  record 
in  Georgia  which  gives  the  names  of  the  officers  or  privates 
or  shows  that  they  are  in  service  from  the  State.  The  on- 
ly knowledge  which  the  Executive  has  of  their  being  in 
service,  is  such  as  he  derives  from  the  newspapers  or  other 
channels  of  information  common  to  any  private  citizen  of 
the  State. 

But  I  fear  that  these  acts  may,  in  the  end,  entail  upon  us 
or  our  posterity  a  greater  misfortune  than  the  mere  prac- 
tical confusion  and  inconvenience  crowing  out  of  them.  As  I 
nave  before  remarked,  they  give  to  the  President  the  control 
of  the  Militia  of  the  States  and  the  appointment  of  the  of- 
ficers to  command  them,  without  the  consent  of  the  States. 
This  is  an  imperial  power,  which  in  the  hands  of  an  able, 
fearless  popular  leader,  if  backed  by  a  subservient  Congress 
in  the  exercise  of  its  taxing  power,  would   enable   him   to 


trample  under  foot  all  restraints  and  make  his  will  the  su- 
preme law  of  the  land.  It  may  be  said  in  reply  W  this, 
that  thr  aots  only  give  the  Presided  the  power  to  accepl 
the  services  of  such  of  the  Militia  of  the  States  as  volunteer 

rve  hiiu.     This  is  true.     Hut  We  canno'1  shut  our  ey<  - 
to  the  fact,  tiia4  in  times  of  high  pofitfeal  -  fc,  when 

the  people  are  divided  into  pai  -  favwite  lead- 

er, having  this  power,  and  in   possession   of  all    the    public 
arms,  munitions  of  war,  forts,  arsenals,  dockyard*,  <fcc,  he- 
ring  to    the,  gpvernmept,  might  be  aide  to  rally    around 
such  force  as  would  give  hini  a  fearful  advantage  over 
diose  who  might  attempl   to  prtfvenl   the  actsonlplishmenl 
of  his  designs.     Such  is  my  confidence  in  the  present  able 
itiye  of  the  Confederate  gtates,  and  so  thoroughly  fin 
evinced  of  his  lofty  patriotism  dnd  his   purity   ofjm* 
.   that  I  entertain  bul  tittle  tear  thai  he  would  afros'e 
even  absolute  power   or  subVert  the  liberties  of  his  country 
for  his  own  personal  aggrandizement.    This  is   no    rea 
however,   wliv    i    should    consul    to  dine    power 

bjs  hands.     While  1   riiighf  not  fear  him  i 
dictator,  i  would  never  consent  that  he   I,-,     i    ado    fltctatbr. 
jliv  limited  by  I 

•  with  i  rid  of  si\  •         . 

tire  Sfapoleori,  occupying  the 

position,  ma  rid  patriotic^  a.nd  with  the 

'  and  approved  by 

.Military  power  in   his    hands,  he   may    mase    the 

idencv  a  Stepping' s"to'nefof%' tlie, gra  s'yrn- 

holy  ambition,  and  by  the    use  of  the  Military  at  ! 

•y  assume  Hie  imperial  robes  and  Sea]  himself  upon 
■\  throne. 

To  guard  efte.ctiKilly  againsi  usurpation,  sustain  republi- 
can liberty  and.  prevent  !  he  emi  Muidatiou  of  the  power  and 
sovereignty  of  the  States  in  the  hands  of  the  few,  our  peo- 
ple Should  watch,  with  a  jealous  eye,  every  act  of  their  re- 
presentatives tending  to  such  a  result,  and  condemn  in  the 
most  unqualified1  manner  every  encroachment  made  by  the 
general  uoverument  upon  either  the  rights  or  the  sovereign- 
ty qf  the  Sfa!(s. 

DEFENCE  (>F   THE  STATK, 

The  act  of  the  last  Legislature  authorized  the  Governor 
to  call  out  ten  thousand  Volunteers,  if  necessary,  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  State. 

Karlv  in  the  Spring,  I  divided  the  State  into  four  sect  ions 
or  Brigades,  iritentKng;  if  necessary,  to  raise  one  Driuadeoi 
Volunteers  in  each  section,  a.nd  appointed  one  Major  Gen- 
eral and  two  Brigadier  Grenefats,  with  a  view  to  the  prompt 
Organization  of  crn'e  division  in  r  se  of  emergency.  The  po- 
sition   of  Major  General    was    tendered    to  Gen.  Henry  R. 


Jackson,  Who  has  lately  gained  a  very  important  victory 
over  a  greatly  superior  force  of  the  enemy  in  North  West- 
ern Virginia,  who  declined  it  in  favor  of  Colonel  Win.  H.  T. 
Walker,  late  of  the  United  States  Army,  and  a  most  gallant 
son  of  Georgia.  I  then,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  Gen.  Jackson,  and  the  dictates  of  my  own  judg- 
ment, tendered  the  appointment  to  Col.  Walker,  hy  whom 
it  was  accepted.  The  office  of  Brigadier  General  was  ten- 
dered to  and  accepted  by  Col.  Paul  J.  Sernmes,  for  the  sec- 
ond Brigade,  and  to  Col.  William  Phillips  for  the  fourth 
B'rfgadfe.  With  a  view  to  more  speedy  and  active  service 
under  the  Confederate  SoVernment,  Qehetai  Walker  ami 
General  SeiafifheS resigned  before  they  had  organized  their 
respective  commands.  About  this  lime,  our  relations  with 
the  Government  of  the  United  Srates  assumed  so  threaten- 
ing an  aspect  that  f  ordered  General  Phillips  to  organize 
his  ffrigftde  as  rapidly  as  possible,  ariti  to  throw  the  otlicers 
imo  a  camp  of  instruction  for  traming,  tha  .iglu    be 

the  better  prepar  defyeffctive  those  Wmler  their  e 

;.      This  ea::ip  of  instruction  '  tinned    for  abollt 

fes,  and  the  o  '  Wi  home  io   hold  their   tet 

fcive  commands  in  readiness.     This  was  the  condition  of  our 

i-    organization    eavly     in  June  When    the  United 
.>)>■;  crossed  fclfe  Potbm  id,  ftnd  inva  !.  '.   the  BO'ti  of 
inr&.     No;  knoWinghows  kki  of eur 

own  -lit  be  mad'',  by  a    landing  of  i mops     upon  our 

1  'I    hi-  who!"  Brigade 

into  camp  of  mstructiott,  and  hold  tie  m  in  readiness  for  im- 
mcdiaie  aclion,  sliould  emergencies  require  it.  This  order 
was  promptly  obeyed  by  the  energetic  and  efficient  ofticer 
to  whom  it  was  given.  General  Phillips,  assisted  by  Adju- 
tant <  lenoral  Wayne,  and  Major  Capers,  tfoe  Sispfcrtnten- 
dam  of  the  Georgia  Military  Institute,  pressed  forward  the 
instruction  and  preparation  of  the  troops  with  great  activity 
and  enemy.  The  troops  remained  in  camp  from  the  11th 
of  June  til!  the  2d  of  August!  They  wore  a  noble,  patri- 
otic, chivalrous  band  of  Georgians,  and  I  hazard  nothing  in 
saying,  militaiy  men  being  the  judges,  that  no  Brigade  in 
the  Confederate  service  was  composed  of  better  material, 
or  was  better  trained  at  that  time  for  active  service  in  the 
field.  The  season  having  so  far  advanced  that  it  was  not 
probable  that  our  coast  would  be  invaded  before  cold 
weather,  I  tendered  the  Brigade  to  President  Davis  for 
Confederate  service  in  Virginia.  The  President  refused  to 
accept  the  tender  of  the  Brigade,  but  asked  for  the  troops 
by  regiments.  Believim:  that  a  due  respect  for  the  rights 
of  the  State  should  have  prompted  the  President  to  accept 
those  troops  under  their  State  organization;  and  if  any 
legal  obstacle,  in  the  way  of  accepting  a  Brigade  existed, 
that  it  should  have  been  removed,  by    the  appointment  of 


10 

the  General  who  had  trained  the  men,  and  who  was  their 
inmini'Mnw  ■hnirr.  tn  rnnrimir  to  command   them   in  Active 

service:  1.  at  first,  refused  to  disband  a  State  organization, 
made  in  conformity  to  the  statute,  and  tender  the  troops 
by  regiments;  more  especially  as  the  President  only  de- 
manded  the  two  regiments  which  would  have  left  the  three 
Battalions  to  be  disbanded  or    maintained    as  Battalions, 

Igfa  the  balance  of  the  §0*80 D,    by  the   St;ite.      Finally, 

the  President  agreed  to  accept  the  Battalions  and  Regi* 
nients.  ;md  in  view  of  the  pressing  necessity  for  Hoops  in 
Virginia.  I  yielded  ih"  point,  accepted  General  Phillips' 
h  Munation.  and  permitted  the  troops  io  he  mustered  into 
the  Confederate  service  by  Regiments  an,i  Q&ttalioos. 

About  i!:e  time  these  troop>  left,  the  Secretary  of  War 
also  ordered  our  of  the  State,  the  Regiment  of  Regular* 
under  Col.  Williams,  and  the  2d  Regiment  of  voluni.-ers 
commanded  by  OoL  Semmes,  both  excellent  Regimentft 
well  drilled  and  armed.  This  left  the  coast  almost  entirely 
defenceless.  Hy  that  time  I  had  permitted  nearly  all  the 
arms  of  the  State  to  go  into  the  Confederate  service,  and 
it  has  been  a  very  diilicult  matter  to  get  arms  enough  to 
supply  the  troops  since  ordered  to  the  coast. 

At  the  time  Fort  Pulaski  was,  by  an  ordinance  of  our 
State  Convention  turned  over  to  the  Confederate  Covern- 
ment,  the  number  and  size  of  the  gun*  in  the  Fort  were 
verv  inade(piate  to  its  successful  defence  auaiust  a  licet 
with  heavy  iruns,  and  as  the  Secretary  of  War  made  no  pro 
vision  for  the  proper  supply  of  guns  or  ammunition,  I 
deemed  it  mv  dulv  to  purchase  with  funds  from  the  Stale 
Treasury  the  necessary  supply,  which  was  done  at  a  cost 
of  >1<M  ..',-2  1,13.  In  this  estimate  is  included  the  freights 
paid  on  the  supply,  and  a  number  of  heavy  guOS  sen 
other  parts  of  the  coast  together  with  work  done  on  gun 
carriages,  &c,  During' the  moiiths  of  August  and  Septem- 
ber, our  climate  was  considered  a.  sufficient  protection  o£ 
our  eoasi  against  invasion,  liut  an  attack  was  reasonably 
looked  for,  so  soon  as  the  advanced  stage  of  the  season 
i.l  render  liie  health  of  an  army  on  the  COftSJ  secure. — 
I  ha  1  petitioned  the  Secretary  of  War  to  send  a  larger  force 
•.i  i  ur  coast,  prior  to  the  order  by  which  1  called  out  den. 
Phillips'  Brigade,  and  had  offered  to  supply,  prompt  ly,  any 
number  ol' troops  tieeded  in  obedience  to  a  requisition  from 
the  War  Department,  and  had  meniioueil  live  thousand  as 
the  number  which  1  considered  necessary.  He  replied,  de- 
clining to  order  so  many,  and  1  felt  it  to  be  my  duty  to 
hold  State  troops  in  readiness  to  meet  any  contingency  un- 
til the  period  when  the  climate  would  be  a  sufficient  pro- 
tection. 

Early  in  September,  I  visited  the  coast  and  inspected  the. 
fortifications  and  batteries  which  had   been  thrown  up   by 


11 

Confederate  authority.  I  was  fully  satisfied  that  the  num- 
ber of  troops  upon  the  coast  in  the  Confederate  service, 
was  entirely  inadequate  to  its  defence,  and  as  no  requisition 
was  made  upon  me  for  any  increase  of  the  force,  I  felt  it  to 
be  my  duty  to  call  out  State  troops  and  increase  the  force 
as  soon  as  possible.  It  is  true  the  State  was  not  invaded, 
but  the  danger  was  considered  so  imminent  as  to  admit  of 
no  further  delay,  and  I  was  of  opinion  that  niy  action  was 
justified  by  both  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  Confederate  States. 

In  the  early  partof  Septeuiberlast,Iappointed  Gen, George 
P.  Harrison,  of  Chatham  county,  a  Brigadier  General,  under 
the  act  of  the  last  session  of  1  lie  Legislature,  and  ordered 
him  to  organize  a  Brigade  of  volunteers,  armed  as  far  as  we 
had  the  means  with  military  weapons  ;uid  the  balance  with 
good  country  rifles  and  shot  gnus,  and  to  throw  them  into 
camp  of  instruction  near  the  COASl  where  they  could  readily 
be  used  when  needed.  Gen.  Harrison  has  pressed  forward 
the  organization  with  his  characteristic  promptness  and  en- 
ergy, and  now  has  a  line  Brigade  under  his  command.  I 
have  also,  within  the  last  few  days  appointed  3Iaj.  F.  W. 
Capers,  a  Brigadier  General  and  ordered  him  to  take  com- 
mand of     the  second   Brigade  now  about  organized. 

When  I  permitted  nearly  all  the  State's  guns  to  go  out 
of  the  State  in  thesuimner,  I  entertained  the  hope  that  such 
number  of  the  troops  with  the  gnus  as  might  be  needed, 
would  be  permitted  to  return  to  our  coast  in  case  of  m 
sity  during  the  winter.  Considering  the  danger  imminent, 
I  lately  requested  the  Secretary  of  War  to  order  back  to 
our  coast,  five  Regiments  of  armed  Georgia  troops.  This 
request  was  at  the  time  declined  by  the  Secretary,  who 
agreed,  however,  to  supply  the  Confederate  General  in  com- 
mand at  Savannah  with  one  thousand  of  the  Enfield  Rifles 
lately  imported. 

As  very  little  expenditure  has  been  made  by  the  Confed- 
erate Government  to  place  Georgia  in  a  defensive  condi- 
tion, and  as  the  number  of  jSenfi  troops  upon  the 
coast  is  not  sufficient  to  meet  the  necessities  of  the  service, 
and  as  the  enemy's  fleet  is  now  off  our  coast,  I  am  of 
opinion  that  the  State  will  be  compelled  in  a  very 
great  degree  to  take  her  own  defences  into  her  own  hands, 
and  I,  therefore,  recommend  such  additional  legislation  as 
the  General  Assembly  may  think  necessary  for  that  pur- 
pose, together  with  such  appropriations  of  money  as  may 
be  required  lor  a  bold  and  vigorous  defence  of  our  beloved 
State  against  the  aggressions  of  a  wicked  and  powerful  foe. 
Should  we  have  to  continue  our  troops  in  the  field,  which 
I  think  quite  probable,  during  the  winter,  an  appropria- 
tion of  less  than  $3,500*000  will  be  insufficient  to  meet  the 
exigencies  of  the  service  for  the  ensuing  year. 


12 

It  is  true  the  sum  asked  for  is  large,  bur  the  emergency 
in  which  we  arc  placed  ami  tlie   results  which  must  follow 

our  action  are  such,  that   we  cannot  for  a    moment  Stop  to 

com:  •    only    question   proper  far.    discussion 

is,    how  many  men  and  how  much  money  are  nee. 

■;  the  State  and  repel  the  invasion.  Other 
••-  have  voted  targe*  msm  man  I  have"  asked. 
I  )ee  by  the  message  of  Governor  Harris,  thai 
the  gallant  S;ate  of  Tennessee  has  appropriated  and 
expended  85,000,000  as  a  military  fund  within  the 
six  months. 

How  the  amount  of  money  above  demanded  Ls  to  l>c 
raised,  is  a  question  for  the  serious  consideration  of  the 
mbly.  The  war  tax  imposed  by  the.  Oonl 
( tavernment,  together  with  the  expenses,  assumed  by 
different  counties  for  supplies  Deeded  by  i  heir  ( tom-panies  in 
•lie  s;t  loe,  v.  1 H  a  ■•  . .  ly  hieieasBtne  burdens  of  taxation.— 
If  we  add  this  additional  sum  to  thai  to  be  collected  within 

den  will  be  too  onerous.     On    ihe 

r  hand,  we  e  I  i  lie  deb*  w  hiah  we 

incur,  with  has  to  be  paid  by  us  and  our 

M-irv.     While  we  cannot  I    the 

public  debt  of  the  State,  I  think  it  wise  diat  we  increase  it 

as  lie  >le,  and  that  we   me-  •  j  art  of  our 

nfece  ipOnditiire's  !<■  m. 

It  .  nw  -in  of  a.  l;iw.  authoriz- 

ing the  collection,  during  tlie  pre  I  year  of  one  mil- 

lion of  dollars  by  taxation,  for  State  purposes,  apt'd 
the    sale  of    !  bonds  bearing    such     rate    of    inlerest 

as  will  command  par  in  the  market,  to  an  amount 
necessary  to  raise  the  balance.  If  the  interest  is 
iixed  at  a  high  rate,  the  State  should  reserve  the 
righi  to  redeem  the  bonds  at  no  very  distant  period.  In 
lie  management  of  private  affairs,  I  have  generally  ootioecl 
that  he  who  is  largely  indebted,  and  keeps  his  property  and 
pay*  heavy  Interest  rather  than  sell  property  enough  to 
pay  the  debt  and  slop  the  interest,  is  seldom  prosperous  : 
so  it  is  with  a  State.  The  revolution  has  happened  in  our 
day;  its  burdens  belong  to  the  present  generation,  and  we 
have  no  right  by  a  verv  Large  increase  of  our  public  debt,  to 
transmit  the  greater  portion  of  them  to  generations  yet 
unborn. 

MIUTAUY  FIND  of  1861. 
By  reference  to  the  Report  of  the  Treasurer  you  will 
find  a  statement  ol  the  accounts  upon  which  the  $£,000,000 
appropriated  as  a  military  fund  for  the  past  year  has  been 
expended.  The  Report  of  John  Jones  as  Quarter-master 
General  to  the  18th  day  of  May,  and  of  Ira  II.  Fos- 
ter as  Quarter-master  General  since  that  date,  will  af- 
ford a  detailed  statement  of  the  expenditure  of  the  several 


13 

sums  charged  in  the  Treasurer's  Report  to  account  of  that 
department  of  the  public  service.  The  three  Reports  to- 
gether with  the  Reports  of  the  Quarter-master  and  Pay- 
master of  the  regular  army  while  in  the  service  of  the  State, 
afford,  it  is  believed,  all  the  information  necessary  to  a  com- 
plete understanding  of  the  entire  disbursement  of  the  whole 
sum. 

SALE  OF    STATE  BONDS. 

The  Act  of  the  last  General  Assembly  of  the  State  which 
appropriated  one  million  of  dollars  as  a  military  fund  for 
the  year  1861,  made  provision  i\)Y  raising  the  money  by  the 
sale  of  Six  per  cent.  State  Bonds.  At  the  iime  of  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Act,  our  Six  percent,  bonds  were  above  par  in 
the  market  and  were  eagerly  sought  after  by  fcapitalisfi 
Soon  after  the  dissolution  of  the  United  States  Government, 
bonds  a;id  stocks  of  all  kinds  were  greatly  depreciated  in 
the  market  and  it  beeame  impossible  to  raise  money  at  par 
on  any  securities  bearing  only  six, per  cent,  interest.  The 
Government  of  the  Confederate  States  fixed  the  rate  of  in- 
terest on  its  bonds  at  eight  per  cent,  and  persons  having 
inonev  1o  invest  preferred  these  bonds  to  the  six  per  cent, 
bonds  of  any  State*  1  was  eon^<|u:>ni ly  unable  to  raise 
money  on  the  bonds  bearing  the  rate  of  interest  lixed  by 
the  statute  without  putting  them  upon  the  market  at  a 
considerable  discount.  After  some  negotiation,  most  of  the 
Ranks  of  thisState  agreed,  each  in  proportion  to  the  amount 
of  its  capital  stock,  to  advance  to  the  Treasury  at  seven 
per  cent,  such  sum  as  might  be  necessary  to  conduct  our 
military  operations.  This  advance  was  made  upon  a  state- 
ment placed  upon  the  Executive  Minutes  and  a  copy  for- 
warded to  each,  by  which  I  agreed  to  recommend  the  Leg- 
islature when  assembled,  to  authorize  the  issue  of  seven 
per  cent,  bonds  to  each  for  the  sum  advanced,  payable  at 
the  end  of  twenty  years,  the  interest  to  be  paid  semi-annu- 
ally and  the  State  to  reserve  to  herself  the  right  at  her  op- 
tion, to  redeem  the  bonds  by  paying  to  the  holders  the 
principal  and  interest  due  at  the  end  of  five  years.  Upon 
this  agreement,  a  copy  of  which  is  herewith  transmitted 
together  with  a  statement  of  the  sum  advanced  by  each 
Bank,  the  wants  of  the  Treasury  were  relieved  and  such 
sums  have  been  advanced  from  time  to  time  as  the  necessi- 
ties of  the  State  required.  It  is  proper  that  I  mention  in 
this  connection,  that  the  Central  Rail  Road  and  Banking 
Company  through  its  able  and  patriotic  President,  the  Hon. 
R.  R.  Cuyler,  tendered  to  the  State  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  took  Six  per  cent,  bonds  in  payment  before  any 
other  Bank  had  acted,  and  at  a  time  when  money  could  not 
he  commanded  in  the  market  at  that  rate.  This  conduct 
was  alike  liberal  and  patriotic  and  was  followed  by  agree- 
ment on  the  part  of  several  other  Banks,  each  to  take  ten 


14 

DCT  cent,  upon  its  capital  stock,  to  which  the  six  per  cent. 
bonds  were  issued  accordingly.  I  do  not  think  it 
right  that  these  tatrt  named  Banks  should  he  permitted  to 
in  loss  <>n  account  of  their  liberality ;  and  1  therefore, 
recommend  that  the  six  per  cent,  bonds  issued  to  each 
Bank  in  this  State  en  account  of  these  sums  advanced,  be 
in  up,  and  that  s^'M'][  per  rent,  honds  be  snhstituted 
in  their  place  and  also,  that  se\  en  per  cent,  bonds  he  issued 
to  all  the  other  Banks  for  the  sums  advanced  by  them  in 
;:'<ordance  with  the  agreement  upon  which  they  made 
their  respective  advances.  This  would  place  all  the  Banks 
upon  an  equality  and  do  justice  to  each  of  them. — 
The  part  of  the  loan  which  has  been  taken  amounts  to 
S867v500.  Of  this  sum  $35,000  of  the  six  per  cent,  bonds 
were  issued  to  Sharp's  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Connec- 
ticut, in  part  pay  for  carbines  purchased  from  the  Compa- 
ny, leaving  the  sum  of  1842,300  taken  by  the  Banks  of 
this  State  upon  which  only  8305,000  ot  bonds  have  issued, 
the  balance  having  been  advanced  without  the  issue  of 
bonds  upon  the  contract  above  mentioned.  White  nearly 
the  whole  amount  of  the  military  appropriation  had  been 
expended  prior  to  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year,  the  receipts  from 
the  State  Uoad  and  from  other  sources  have  been  such  as 
to  meet  the  ordinary  expenses  of  the  government,  as  well 
as  the  extraordinary  appropriations  of  the  last  Legislature; 
also  to  pay  part  of  the  drafts  upon  the  military  fund,  and 
to  leave  in  the  Treasury  at  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year,  a  net 
balance  of  8324,0!)!)  Mi.  As  this  sum  in  the  Treasury  was 
not  appropriated  for  military  purposes,  but  is  mostly  ap- 
propriated ior  other  purposes  and  undrawn,  I  had  no 
right  under  the  Constitution  to  draw  upon  it,  and  as  the 
military  fund  was  lately  exhausted  and  the  perilous  condi- 
tion of  the  State  required  large  expenditures  and  prompt 
action  for  the  defence  of  the  Coast,  it  became  necessary  for 
me  to  negotiate  a  further  loan  with  the  Banks  of  Savannah 
to  meet  the  emergency,  till  an  appropriation  could  be 
made.  This  I  thought  better  than  to  convene  the  Legisla- 
ture in  extra  session,  a  very  short  time  previous  to  the  reg- 
ular session.  Under  this  arrangement,  I  have  received 
from  the  Banks  of  Savannah  through  G.  B.  Lamar,  Esq., 
whose  services  have  been  of  great  value  to  the  State  both 
in  New  York  prior  to  the  secession  of  Georgia  from  the 
old  Union,  and  in  Savannah  since  that  time,  such  sums  as 
the  service  required  for  the  repayment  of  which  it  will  be 
necessary  to  provide  out  of  the  military  fund  to  be  appro- 
priated at  the  present  Session.  The  amount  advanced  is 
not  yet  large,  but  it  will  become  necessary  to  increase  it 
daily  till  an  appropriation  is  made  to  meet  the  heavy  ex- 
penditures now  being  incurred  to  sustain  our  troops  in  the 
field.  I  earnestly  solicit  for  this  subject  the  early  attention 
of  the  General  Assembly. 


15 

TREASURY    NOTES. 


It  is  possible  the  State  might  find  it  difficult  to  raise  by 
the  sale  of  bonds,  the  portion  of  the  money  above  recom- 
mended to  be  raised  in  that  way  for  the  ensuing  year. 
Should  it  be  found  that  such  is  the  case,  I  recommend  that 
the  Treasurer  of  this  State  be  authorized  to  issue,  under 
the  order  of  the  Governor,  treasury  notes,  similar  to  those  is- 
sued by  the  Treasury  Department  of  the  Confederate 
States  ;  and  that  said  notes  be  made  receivable  in  the  pay- 
ment of  taxes,  or  any  other  debt  due  the  State,  or  the  State 
Road. 

And  for  the  purpose  of  giving  these  notes  credit  as  cur- 
rency, let  provision  be  made  by  law,  that  any  person  pre- 
senting at  tin1  Treasury  five  hundred,  or  one  thousand  dol- 
lars of  them,  shall  be  entitled  to  have  and  receive  for  said 
notes,  a  bond  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  for  the  same  amount, 
bearing  eight  per  cent  interest,  payable  semi-annually,  the 
principal  to  be  paid  at  the  end  of  ten  years;  with  the  like 
privilege  for  each  additional  amount  of  five  hundred  or  one 
thousand  dollars  presented. 

This  would  place  the  notes  upon  a  basis  of  security  that 
the  most  cautious  could  not  suspect,  and  would  doubtless 
enable  the  State  to  raise  such  sums  as  her  necessities  rtfay 
require.  With  this  security,  it  is  believed  that  our  Banks 
could  not  fail  to  receive  the  notes  on  deposit,  and  that 
they  would  be  received  in  payment  of  debts,  and  answer 
all  the  purposes  of  currency.  As  the  faith  of  the  State 
would  be  pledged  for  their  redemption,  no  higher  security 
would  be  asked  by  her  citizens. 

RELIEF    TO    THE  PEOPLE. 

On  account  of  the  blockade  of  our  ports,  our  planters  are 
unable  to  sell  their  cotton,  which  is  the  great  staple  produc- 
tion of  the  State,  and  brings  into  the  State  the  money 
which  stimulates  and  sustains  every  other  branch  of  indus- 
try. The  taxes  of  the  people,  including  the  Confederate 
war  tax,  must  necessarily  be  far  more  burdensome  this  year, 
than  they  have  been  any  previous  year,  in  the  present  gen- 
eration. Unless  something  can  be  realized  by  the  sale  of, 
or  by  an  advance  upon  Cotton,  it  will  be  next  to  impossible 
for  our  people  to  raise  the  money  with  which  to  meet  this 
heavy  burden.  Such  is  the  patriotism  of  our  people,  and 
such  their  zeal  in  the  glorious  cause  of  our  independence, 
that  all  seem  perfectly  willing  to  submit  to  any  amount  of 
taxation,  necessary  to  sustain  the  Government,  if  they  can 
raise  the  money  by  sale  of  the  products  of  their  labor  ;  but 
they  are  not  willing  to  have  large  amounts  of  valuable 
property  sacrificed  under  the  Sheriffs  hammer,  to  raise 
small  sums  of  money  to  meet  their  taxes.     In  this  state  of 


things  it  is  the  dut)  xnaient  to  do  all  thai 

be  done,  to  afford  re] 

As  the  besl   mode  o  which  occurs  to  my  mind.  I 

immend  the  i  ppointiuenl  of  an  officer  of  ability  and  ex- 
perience, with  a  com]  lary.  which  will  enable  liim 
to  <1<  tftnd  to  tiir  work,  who  shall  be  author- 
ized, on  receiving  Satisfactory  evidence  thai  any  plan- 
ter has  deposited  his  cotton  in  any  wan-  house  in  anv 
interior  town  of  this  State,  and  has  insured  the  same 
against  loss  5y  fire  fbr  twelve  month*,  with  auv  solvenl  In- 

■ 

surance  Company  in  the  State,  to  advance  to  such   planter 

third-  of  the  market    value  pf  his  crop",  to  be  paid    in 
Treasury' rtotes  of  this  S\ate,   secwretl  as  above  prop* 

which   are   to   he   received  in   payment  of  ail  public  d 

and  funded  with  eight  per  cent  bonds  when  presented  for 
that  purpose,  redeemable  at  the  option  of  the  State  alter  a 
short  period. 

The  law  should  gfve  the  Stale  the  control  of  the  Cotton 
till  sold,  and  make  ample  provision  lor  the  repayment  to 
the  Treasury  of  the  principal  advanced,  with  eighi  per 
(\-m  fhe  fate  paid  by  the  Slate,  when  the  blockade 

,  ud  the  Cotton  sold.  This  would  enable  our 
planters  to  realize  upon  their  crops,  a  sufficient  sum.  to  meer 
their  current  expenses,  and  to  pay  all  takes  required  ol 
them  for  theneci  -  ••  or  the  war,  and  the  support 

of  the  Government.  I  think  our  people  have  a  right  to 
expect  some  such  relief  as  I  have  propos  fed  at  OUT  hands: 
and  I  mo-t  respectfully,  bu1  earnestly  Invoke  tor  this  subject 
the  attentive  consideration  of  the  General  Assembly. 

STAt    LAW. 

In  connection  with  the  foregoing  subject,  I  may  remark 
that  my  views  on  the  subject  of  Hank  suspensions  and  sta\ 
laws,  having  been  frequently  promulgated,  are  well  known 
to  the  people  of  this  State. 

In  ordinary  times,  and  under  ordinary  circumstances,  I  be- 
lieve all  such  laws  are  wrong  in  principle,  corrupting  in 
practice,  and  in  violation  of  that  good  faith  which  should 
characterize  all  commercial  transact  ions  between  man  and 
his  fellow  man.  Hence  I  have,  on  all  previous  occasions, 
withheld  my  assent  from  all  such  enactments;  believing 
that  they  generally  have  their  origin  in  unjust  speculations; 
and  that  they  are  used  by  the  designings  te  wrest  from  the 
hardy  sons  of  toil,  the  just  incomes  of  their  daily  labor. 

lint  these  are  no  ordinary  times.  We  are  in  the  midst  of 
revolution,  and  youT  predecessors  have  authorized  the  suspen- 
sion of  the  Banks,  and  have  stayed  the  collection  of  debts 
till  1st  December  next.  Our  Forts  are  blockaded  so  that 
our  planters  cannot  send  their  Col  ion  and  other  produce  to 
market,  and  it  is  impossible  for  our  Banks  to  import  specie 
at  any  price,  with  which  to   redeem   their   bills.     In   this 


17 

state  of  things,  to  require  them  to  resume,  is  to  require  an 
impossibility.  It  occurs  to  me  therefore,  that  the  most  that 
can  be  clone,  is  to  guard,  by  proper  legislation,  as  far  as 
possible,  against  over  issues  and  abuse  of  their  privileges  by 
our  Banks  during  the  suspension,  so  as  to  cause  them  to  do 
justice  to  the  people,  and  prevent  their  insolvency  when  they 
shall,  at  a  future  da  y,  be  called  upon  to  resume  specie  payment. 
Tt  is  also  absolutely  necessary  to  extend  the  stay 
law  between  other  debtors  and  creditors.  Should 
creditors  be  permitted  in  the  midst  of  the  present 
crisis,  by  legal  process,  to  bring  the  property  of  debtors 
to  sale  by  the  Sheriff,  who  is  required  by  law  to  sell 
for  cash,  the  results  would  be  deplorable.  iMonev  is  so 
scarce,  that  property  forced  to  sale  for  cash,  would  not 
probably  bring  more  than  one  third  to  half  as  much  as  ii 
would  have  brought  twelve  or  eighteen  months  since,  when 
the  debt  was  contracted.  This  would  enable  a  few  heartless 
ilatoi's,  who  happen  to  have  funds  at  their  command,  to 
buy  up  the  properly  of  poor  debtors,  at  almost  nominal 
prices;  and  would  cause  an  immense,  amount  of  suffering 
among  helpless  women  and  children,  whose  husbands  ami  fa- 
thers, never  ant  impaling  the  present  stale  of  things,  contract- 
ed debts  when  money  was  plentiful,  and  the  country  prosper- 
ous, which,  had  that  state  of  things  remained,  they  could 
easily  have  paid  ;  but  which  their  whole  property,  if  forced 
to  sale  by  the  Sheriff,  would  now  be  insufficient  to  satisfv. 
Many  of  these  debtors,  leaving  a  very  small  amount  of 
property  for  the  support  of  their  families  at  home,  are  now 
in  the  Military  service  of  the  country,  risking  themselves, 
and  sacrificing  all  the  pleasures  of  home,  in  defence  of  our 
lives,  liberties  and  families.  1  can  imagine  no  greater  cruel- 
ty, than  to  permit  the  creditor  in  the  absence  of  the  sol- 
dier, to  take  from  his  family,  the  small  pittance  left  for 
their  support.  It  is  true,  few  creditors  might  be  so  cruel 
as  to  attempt  this,  but  the  law  should  make  ample  provi- 
sion for  the  protection  of  the  weak  and  the  helpless,  against 
those  who  might  be  prompted  by  avarice,  to  disregard  the 
dictates  of  humanity.  I  therefore  in  view  of  our  necessi- 
ties, waive  for  the  present,  all  my  objections  to  this  char- 
acter of  legislation,  and  recommend  the  enactment  of  such 
laws,  as  will  continue  the  suspension,  and  protect  the  poor 
and  unfortunate  from  the  grasp  of  the  avaricious  and  the 
powerful,  till  the  establishment  of  our  independence  shall 
have  relieved  us  from  the  embarrassments  which  have 
grown  out  of  the  revolution. 

UNPATRIOTIC  SPECULATION. 

It  is  a  matter  of  the  most  profound  regret  in  the  present 
eventful  crisis,  when  the  whole  energies  of  our  peo- 
ple are  being  exerted  to  the  utmost  capacity  in  the 
cause  of  our  independence,  and  when  thousands  of  our  lel- 

9 


IS 

low  citizens  who  have  but  little  excepl  their  services  to  give, 
have  nobly  responded  to  their  country's  call  and  rallied  to 
her  standard*  in.  the  (eld,  leaving  helpless  ramilies  behind 
wirh  bnt  little*  means  ol  support  excepl  their  dally   labor, 

that  combinations  have  been  Formed  by  hard-hearted  and  un- 
patriotic speculators,  to  buy  nj»  and  engross  almost  the  en- 
tire supplies  of  the  Decessaries  of  life,  without  which  neith- 
er the  families  OI  Soldiers  nor  others,  can  siihsisi.  So 
as  these  unprincipled  public  plunderers  have  obtained  the 
control  of  any  necessary  commodity,  they  have  not  only 
robbed  the  government  by  demanding,  and  compelling  it  to 
pay  the  most  enprmous  profits,  but  they  have  wronged  our 
soldiers  in  the  service,  by  compelling  them  to  pay  two  or 
three  prices  tor  articles  which  were  absolutely  indispensa- 
ble to  their  health  and  comfort,  and  have  raised  the  prices 
pf  many  necessary  articles  of  provision  at  home,  till  the 
families  of  absent  soldiers  and  others  who  labor  tor  a  liveli- 
hood, are  obliged  to  live  upon  the  most  stinted  allowance 
if  not  to  endure  actual  sufi'erinir,  on  account  of  their  ina- 
bility, by  their  labor,  to  purchase  the  necessaries  of*  life, 
[f  1  have  not  misconceived  the  true  objects  of  government, 
the  soldiers  in  the  held  from  this  State,  the  helpless  families 
of  many  of  them  at  home,  and  all  others  who  have  Suffered 
by  the  wicked  avarice  of  these  Shylocks,  have  a 
riuht  to  demand  at  the  hands  of  the  General  Assembly,  the 
enactment  of  such  laws  as  will  afford  all  the  relief  possible 
againsl  such  cruel  imposition  in  future. 

Larue  amounts  of  provisions  and  other  military  supplies 
must  be  furnished  to  our  army  durum  the  the  ensuing  year. 
Jf  the  State  submits  to  these  impositions,  the  prices  which 
Bhe  pays  will  become  the  iuliu<i'  prices  in  the  market:  and 
others,  however  needy  or  unable,  must  pay  as  much  as  the 
State  pays,  or  they  cannot  procure  the  articles  of  prune 
necessity. 

I  therefore  recommend  the  enacimeiit  of  a  law  authoriz- 
ing the  Governor  of  this  Slate,  or  any  militan  officer  under 
his  command,  by  his  dirrection,  (or  such  other  olhcer  as  the 
the  legislature  may  designate.)  to  sei/.e  and  appropriate 
•any  provisions  or  other  supplies  of  any  character,  necessa- 
ry for  the  subsistence  or  comfort  of  our  troops,  or  for  their 
efficiency  in  the  service,  wherever  to  be  found,  in  the  hands 
of  manufacturers,  speculators  or  traders,  and  to  pay  or  ten- 
der to  such  manufacturers,  speculators  or  traders,  reasona- 
ble and  just  compensation  therefor,  to  be  fixed  by  compe- 
tent valuing  agents.  The  price  fixed  as  the  market  value 
of  the  articles  needed  by  the  State.  Which  are  also  the  prin- 
cipal articles  needed  by  the  comm unity,  would  very  soon 
become  the  general  market  prices  in  the  State,  as  the  au- 
thorities could,  on  information,  sei/.e  supplies  for  the  State 


19 

in  the  hands  of  such  persons  as  refused  ro  sell  at  reasonable 
prices,  and  thus  bring  down  those  above,  to  medium  rates. 

This  legislation  would  not  only  be  compatible  with  the 
dictates  of  humanity  and  the  plainest  principles  of  natural 
justice,  but  it  would  violate  no  constitutional  right  of  the 
speculator.  The  constitution  expressly  authorizes  the  gpv- 
ernment  to ''take  private  property"  for  "public  uses,"  by  prov- 
ing "just  compensation;"  and  dors  not  require  the  govern- 
ment, in  such  cases  to  p;iy  exorbitant  and  unreasonable 
prices. 

I  commend  this  subject  to  your  serious  consideration,  not 
doubting  that  you  will  do  all  in  your  power  to  protect  both 
the  State  and  her  citizens  against  the  wicked  and  cruel  de- 
signs of  those,  whom  avarice  leads  to  turn  a  deaf  ear  alike  to 
the  dictates  of  patriotism  and  humanity,  and  who  are  ready 
to  sacrifice  all  tbat  is  dear  to  a  people  to  satisfy  their  own 
inordinate  desire  for  gain. 

OUB  TRQOF9  IX  THE  FIEI.I>. 

It  is  impossible  to  bestow  too  much  praise  upon  our  gal- 
lant troops  now  in  service.  Those  of  them  who  have  had 
au  opportunity  to  meet  the  enemy,  have  not  only  sustained 
the  high  character  of  Georgia,  but  have  covered  themselves 
with  unfading  glory;  and  many  of  them,  sealing  their  offer- 
ing upon  their  country's  altar  with  their  life's  blood,  have 
transmitted  their  names  to  posterity  upon  history's  bright- 
est page.  I  have  not  the  slightest  fear  that  we  have  a  sin- 
gle Regiment  or  Company  in  the  field  from  this  State,  that 
will  ever  falter  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  or  fail  to  perform 
the  highest  deeds  of  heroism,  when  occasion  is  pffered  for 
such  display-  It  is  a  matter  of  profound  regret  that  a  body 
of  such  troops  as  we  have  sent  to  the  field,  should  ever 
lack  for  anything  necessary  1o  their  comfort  while  in  ser- 
vice. I  have  rendered  all  the  aid  possible  with  the  limited 
means  at  my  command,  in  clothing  and  making  them  com- 
fortable;  but  it  has  not  been  in  my  power  to  do  half  as 
much  as  I  wished  to  do.  He  who  will  consider  that  our 
military  appropriation  for  the  year  just  closed  was  hut 
si, 000, 000,  and  that  in  addition  to  the  purchase  of  ord- 
nance, ammunition  and  other  military  stores,  and  the  large 
sums  expended  in  the  organization  of  the  Georgia  Regular 
Army,  the  State  has  more  than  40,000  troopsin  the  field,  over 
half  of  whom  she  has  fully  armed,  accoutred  and  equipped, 
besides  furnishing  valuable  supplies  to  Regiments  not  armed 
by  her,  and  paying  the  expense  of  some  twenty-five  hun- 
dred of  these  troops  for  nearly  two  mouths  in  camp  of  in- 
struction, will  readily  see  why  it  has  not  been  in  my  power 
to  do  more. 

HOSPITAL  rOB  THE  SICK'. 

I  cannot  close  this  reference  to  the  condition  and  wants 
of  our  troops,  without  calling  your  attention  to  the  necessi- 


20 

ties  of  ou_r  sick  ami  wounded  soldiers  in  Virginia.  We  are 
informed  that  their  snf&riug  has  beep  very  greal  fur  wain 
►f  proper  aursiqgand  hospital  accommodations.  A  most 
patriotic  association  of  Georgians  lias  been  formed  lor  the 
purpose  of  alleviating  the  sufferings  and  supplying  the 
wants  of  the  sick  and  wounded.  This  association  ha-<  es- 
tablished hospitals  in  Virginia  and  collected  large  sums  oi 
monej  from  our  citizens  py  donations,  in  sustain  these  in- 
stitutions :  l>m  the  sums  which  will  he  required  for  the  en- 
suing year,  will  he  greater  than  the  association  can  reason- 
ably expeci  to  r&ise  by  voluntary  contribution.  I  contri- 
buted on;  hi'  the  military  fund  I5J0OO.  to  assist  in  the 
esiahlishnieni  of  the  Hospital  at  Richmond  ;  and  1  recom- 
mend such  liberal  appropriation  for  the  purpose  of sustain- 
ing these  institutions  in  liilure,  as  will  <ecure  io  the  (roups 
wherever  the_y  may  be,  when  confined  by  aiiliction,  all  the 
attention  and  comfort  which  can  possibly  he  afforded  to 
persons  in  their  condition. 

.MAXri-Wri TKK    OF    ARMS, 

Sogreal  are  our  necessities  for  arm*  and  smdi  the  diffi- 
culties attending  their  importation,  that  1  again  call  the  at- 
tention of  the  General  Assembly  to  this  important  subject, 
and  suggest  the  propriety  of  either  establishing  a  State 
Foundry  for  their  manufacture,  or  of  guaranteeing  to  such 
Company  as  will  engage  to  mauufaeture  them,  such  an 
amount  of  patronage  as  will  secure  success.  1  am  informed 
That  Col.  Isaac  I.  Moses,  a  citizen  of  Columbus,  of  suffi- 
cient capital  and  ureal  energy  of  character,  acting  in  con- 
junction with  Mr.  John  1).  Cray,  of  Catoosa  county,  whose 
reputation  for  energy  and  enterprise  is  wtdl  known  to  our 
people,  is  perfecting  preparations  to  manufacture  at  Co- 
lumbus, excellent  Rifles  in  large  numbers,  within  the  next 
two  or  three  months.  It  is  said  they  have  already  made 
considerable  progress  in  their  enterprise  and  that  Mr.  Gray 
can  furnish  stocks  quite  rapidly,  and  that  with  his  aid  Col. 
Moseswill  soonbeableto  turn  out  the  gunscomplete.  Should 
it  be  found  on  a  thorough  investigation  of  this  subject  by 
the  military  committee,  that  the  enterprise  of  Col.  Moses 
and  Mr.  C ray  will  be  successful,  I  recommend  that  a  con- 
tract be  entered  into  with  these  gent  lemon,  or  with  any 
others  who  may  be  prepared  to  furnish  the  krms,  for  such 
supply  as  the  future  necessities  of  the  State    may    require. 

In  accordance  with  the  recommendations  of  a  convention 
of  Gun  Smiths  held  at  Atlanta,  I  have  appropriated  a  part 
of  the  forges  in  the  machine  shop  of  the  State  Road,  to  the 
purpose  of  forging  gun  barrels,  and  a  number  of  hands  are 
now  engaged  there  in  that  business.  I  have  also  ordered 
to  be  procured  boring  and  rifling  machines  and  turning 
lathes,  and  will  be  prepared  in  a  few  weeks  to  make  rifle 


barrels  complete.  These  barrels  are  to  be  given  out  to  the 
gun-smiths,  who,  under  contracts  for  that  purpose  are  to 
finish  the  <juns  after  the  pattern  of  the  Harper's  Ferry 
rifle. 

POWDER  MATERIAL. 

Soon  after  the  State  seceded  from  the  Union,  in  view  of 
our  perilous  condition,  and  the  great  scarcity  of  salt  pet  re 
and  sulphur  in  the  State,  and  indeed  in  the  South,  I  felt  it 
my  duty  to  use  every  exertion  in  my  power  to  procure  the 
material,  without  which  it  would  be  impossible  to  make  the 
supply  of  powder  absolutely  necessary  to  our  safety  and 
the  success  of  our  common  cause.  After  much  exertion 
and  great  risk,  I  succeeded  in  procurinsr  a  supply  sufficient 
to  make  sever*}  hundred  tons  of  powder;  which  was  land- 
ed in  the  Staie  a  very  short  time  prior  to  the  commence- 
ment of  the  blockade  of  our  ports.  A  short  time  after  its 
importation,  I  ottered  the  powder  material  and  the  steamer 
Huntress  to  the  Secretary  of  War  for  tin1  com  moo  cause,  ;it 
their  original  cost  to  the  State  without  even  charging  in- 
terest on  the  money,  during  the  time  intervening,  between 
the  purchase  by  the  State,  and  the  proposed  sale.  This 
proposition  was  declined  by  the  Secretary.  At  a  later  pe- 
riod in  tie  season,  t  fene'wed  the' proposition,  with  the  al- 
ternative that  if  the  Secretary  remsed  to  take  the  si  ramer. 
which  had  been  purchased  by  order  of  the  Slate  f\>nvee- 
tion,  and  whicb  was  no  longer  needed  by  the  State,  the 
Confederacy  having  assumed  the  control  of  our  naval  af- 
fairs; he  could  have  the  powder  material  without  the 
steamer  at  its  market  value.  This  latter  proposition  was 
accepted  and  the  market  value  of  the  powder  material  fix- 
ed by  the  Secretary  himself  at  fifty  per  cent  upon  original 
-cost.  It  was  at  the  time  worth  in  the  market,  over  three 
hundred  per  cent  upon  the  original  cost,  but  as  it  was  ao 
part  of  my  purpose  to  speculate  for  the  State  on  that  which 
was  essential  to  the  success  of  our  common  cause,  I  per- 
mitted the  Secretary  of  War  to  take  it  at  his  own  price. 
The  State  Treasurer  had  advanced  the  money  to  purcha>' 
the  material  at  my  request,  without  warrant,  and  after  tin- 
sale,  as  no  warrant  had  passed,  I  refunded  to  the  Treasury 
the  amount  of  money  advanced  by  the  Treasurer.  ]>y  this 
transaction  I  not  only  obtained  and  turned  over  to  the  Con- 
federaev  at  a  price  several  hundred  fold  less  than  it  could 
have  been  elsewhere  obtained,  a  supply  of  material  of  very 
yreat  value,  but  also  made  a  clear  proiit  of  fr$£,l3d  70  for 
the  State.  As  the  drafts  upon  the  militarv  fund  were 
much  heavier  than  was  anticipated  when  the  appropriation 
was  made.  1  found  it  necessary  to  use  this  net  proiit  which 
I  had  made  for  the  State,  in  the  purchase  of  provisions  an  I 
other  necessary  supplies  for  our  troops.  I  therefore  paid  it 
over  to  the  Quarter  Master  Of  neral  of  the   State,  and  took 


his  receipt  (or  the  amount,  which  he  h;is  expended  for  the 
i'  our  troops,  and  for  which  he  will  account  in  his   re- 
port.    I  have  ordered  this    receipt  to   be  recorded   on   the 
Executive  minutes  and  the  original  to  be  filed  subject  to  the 
od  of  any  committee,  or  other  person  interested. 
i  t.xi  ti:nviai;y. 
Von  arc  referred  to  the  report  of  CoL  TpMrifH  A.  Creen. 
the  active  and  energetic  Principal  Keeper  of  tin1  Poniten- 
*iary,  lor  a  statement  of  t  lit-  operations  of  thai  Inst  it  1 1 1 ion, 
during    tlie    past    fiscal  year.      It    will    bo    seen    that  after 

the paymepl  d  all  its  indebtedness  for  the  year,   it    bat  a 
'.;;indsonie  sum  to  its  credit  ;  and    that    no  apnropria'.  ion    is 
lor  its  assistance  or  supjtori  for  theensuintr  vear. 

.VSYi.TM,    AND    OT1IKR    1  XSTI'I  I'YK  >Xs.  # 

For  a  statement    df  the  condition  and  wants  W  tht  I.u- 

Asylu m,' Academy  for  th'e  Blind,  and  Institution   for 

the  Education  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb,  you  are  respectfully 

referred    to    the    reports    of   the    officers    in    charge    of 

these  Institutions. 

E     \ :  i:    tJKlVEBSITY. 

As  required  by  the  Statute,  I  transnrii  herewith  the  Re- 
port of  the  Trustees  of  the  State  Tn'u crsiiy.  So  targe  a 
number  of  young  men,  who  would  otherwise  have  been 
pursuing  their  Collegiate  studies,  have  volunteered,  and 
gone  to  the  army,  that  the  number  ol   siudents  in  the  Uni- 

rsity  must  be  expected  to  be  materially  diminished  du- 
ring the  eusuintr  year. 

i;i:<>!;<;i\  .military  [tfSTITUTBi 

I  apprehend  I  need  enter  into  no  argument  in  the  pres- 
eventful  period  of  our  hi-iory,  to  satisly  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  great  utility  and  importance  of  the  Mill-* 
tary  Institute  ,to  the  State  and  to  the  South.  The  friends 
and  patrons  of  the  Institute  have  much  reason  to  lie  proud 
of  the  resuks  of  their  -labor.  Most  of  its  graduates  hold 
useful  and  important  posh  ions  in  the  service  of  the  State, 
or  the  Confederacy,  while  some*  have  already  sacrificed  their 
•  on  the  battle  field  gallantly  leading  their  followers  in 

.(Hi)-  of  viCtQryl  I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  state  that 
Dlifi  prospects  of  llie  Jnslituteare  at  present  very  flattering. 

in.tr  that  the  State  needed  the  Services  and  military 
skill  of  Maj.  Capeis,  the  Superintendent  durinu  the  winter 
upon  the  Coast,  I  have  gives  him  a  commission  as  Brigadier 
General,  and  assigned  him  to  the  command  of  the  second 
Brigade  of  Georgia  State  troops.  As  it  is  not  probable 
::.at  the  campaign  upon  the  Coast  will  last  for  more  than  six 
months,  it  is  hoped  that  General  Capers  may  be  able  to  re- 
sume his  position  in  the  Institute  before  the  commence- 
ment of  the  next  summer.  Considering  his  services  of 
great  importance  to  the  State  in  conducting   the   military 


education  of  oar  youth,  the  Board  under  whose  supervision 
the  law  has  placed  the  Institute,  could  not  willingly  consent 
that  General  Capers  accept  such  military  com  mission  as 
would  cany  him  out  of  the  State,  and  sever  his  connection 
with  the  Institution  where  his  services  are  so  highly  appre- 
ciated. 

To  sustain  the  Institute  and  place  it  upon  a  solid  basis 
it  will  be  necessary  that  such  appropriations  he  made  to 
endow  it  as  will  place  the  professors'  salaries  beyond  con- 
tingency. I  commend  the  Institute  to  the  enlightened 
statesmanship,  and  fostering  care  of  the  General  Assembly. 

EDUCATION. 

The  annual  appropriation  of  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  the  dividends  from  the  Bank  Stock  belonging  to 
the  State,  and  the  interest  upon  tile  educational  bonds, 
amount  in  the  aggregate,  to$l  to. Oof  00  for  the  past  year. 
This  will  be  distributed  among  the  Counties  for  school  pur- 
poses, unless  the  Executive  shall  be  otherwise  directed  by 
legislation  anterior  to  the  day  fixed  by  law  for  the  distribu- 
tion. While  our  financial  embarrassments  growing  out  pf 
the  war  may  be  very  considerable,  I  entertain  the  opin- 
ion that  it  would  be  better  for  the  people  to  submit  to  the 
additional  taxation  necessary  to  raise  this  sum,  than  to 
withhold  ir  from  those  entitled  unde? existing  legislation  to 
participate  in  its  benefits. 

TIIK  HEW  roNSTITl Tmx. 

The  new  Constitution  proposed  by  the  State  Convention 
on  the  23rd  day  of  March  last,  while  in  session  at  Savan- 
nah, was,  by  my  proclamation,  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
people  of  the  Staie  for  ratification  or  rejection,  on  the  first 
Tuesday  in  July  last.  '  The  vote  cast  was  quite  a  small  one, 
owing  doubtless,  to  the  fact,  that  the  thoughts  of  our  peo- 
ple were  so  much  engrossed  with  the  War,  that  little  attcn- 
;ion  was  given  to  any  other  subject  :  and  as  the  Constitu- 
tion bad  received  tne  sanction  of  the  Convention,  compos* 
i  d  as  it  was  of  so  many  of  the  brightest  intellects,  ami  best 
men  of  the  State,  the  people  were,  it  would  seem,  general- 
ly willing,  to  ratify  their  action  without  serious  opposition. 
The  election  returns  received  at  the  Executive  Department* 
show  the  following  result  : 

For  Ratification 11,40!)  vote-. 

Xo    Ratification J  0,70J   votes. 

Majority  for  Ratification 795  votes. 

After  the  result  was  known,  on  the  20th  day  of  August 
last,  1  issued  my  proclamation,  as  required  by  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  Convention,  declaring  the  proposed  Constitu- 
tion to  be  the  Constitution  of  this  State. 


24 


on;  MILITIA  SI  91  EM, 


I  invite  the  attention  pf  Dm  (ieneral  Assembly  fa  the 
suggestions  contained  in  ihe  rt'port  of  the  Adjutant 
ami  Inspector  (M-ueral  recommending  I  revision  of  our  Mil- 
itary Code.   I  would  also  suggest  a  change  In  the  law  relating 

to  \ « >  1  n 1 1 1 « ■ » ■  r  ( loropaniea   During  the  past  Near these eompa- 

oip  have  frei|iieut  ly  Ihvii  formed,  and  alter  their  oilier  is  were, 
commissioned  and  they  armed  by  the  State,  have  in  a  short 
time  disbanded  and  scattered  their  arms,  causing  Very  WMl- 
siderabie  expense  and  I  rouble  to  the  State  to  collect  then: 
again,  and  in  some  instances  involving  the  entire  loss  of 
pari  of  the  gfcmi  to  the  State.  Again,  it  has  frequently 
happened  after  companies  have  been  lormed  and  their  of- 
ficers have  expended  large  sums  in  uniforming  and  equipping 
them,  that  a  portion  of  the  members  becoming  dissatisfied 
with  the  organization,  or  seeing  as  they  believed,  an  oppor- 
tunity to  get  into  service  sooner  with  some  other  company, 
have  withdrawn,  and  reduced  the  Company  to  so  small  a 
number  as  to*  compel  the  officers  to  disband  it.  This  has 
eaused  much  confusion,  ami  has  been  very  discouraging  to 
those  who  have  incurred  heavy  expense  in  organizing  and 
equipping  Companies  for  service.  To  prevent  this  state  of 
things  in  future  I  recommend  such  legislation  as  will  compel 
i  hose  who  may  hereafter  enrol  their  names  as  members 
Volunteer  Company  to  adhere  to  the  organization  for  at 
lia<  twelve  mont  hs,  and  to  respond  to  any  call  which  may, 
within  that  time,  be  made  upon  them  for  active  service  in 
the  field,  and  for  such  term  of  service  as  may  be  required  by 
the  statutes  under  which  they  may  be  called  out  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  State  or  the  Confederacy. 

WESTERN    AND    ATLAX  I  !('  I:  UI.KOA  I>. 

For  a  statement  of  the  condition  of  the  AYestern  and  AJ- 
lantic  Railroad,  the  General  Assemblv  is  referred  to  the  ret 
port  of  the  late  able  and  faithful  Superintendent,  l>r.  John 
W.  Lewis,' whose  resignation  took  effect  with  the  end  of  the 
fiscal  year  of  the  Road,  on  the  :>0th  of  September. 
Maj.  John  S.  Rowland,  of  the  county  of  Cass,  who  has  bee  I 
appointed  Superintendent,  is  energetically  and  faithfully 
engaged  In  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  The  other  able 
officers  of  the  Road  generally  remain  in  their  positions  as 
heretofore.  Their  past  fidelity  and  elliciency,  together 
with  the  well  known  character  of  the  Superintendent  for 
honesty,  integrity,  practical  business  sense,  and  linancia! 
ability,  are,  1  |  fust,  Sufficient  guaranty  that  the  future  man- 
airemcnt  of  the  Road  will  be  faithful  and  successful.  \( 
the  Blockade  is  continued  so  as  to  prevent  all  exports  of 
produce,  the  fallimr  oft' of  freights  during  the  ensuing  year 
will  probably  seriously  affect  the  income  of  the  Road. 


As  will  be  seen,  by  reference  to  the  Report  of  the  State 
Treasurer,  he  has  received  from  the  Road  $438,000  of  net 
incomes  for  the  past  fiscal  year,  ending  20th  October  last. 

FLORIDA     r.orXDAKY    LINE. 

At  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature,  a  resolution  was 
adopted,  directing  me  to  re-open  negotiations  with  the  au- 
thorities of  the  State  of  Florida,  in  regard  to  the  boundary 
line  between  the  two  States,  and  to  urge  the  adjustment 
of  the  disputed  line,  so  as  to  "protect  the  rights  of  citizen- 
ship of  the  people  residing  near  the  line,  who  have  been 
recognized  by  the  laws  and  constitution  of  this  State,  as 
being  citizens  of  Georgia,  and  so  as  also  to  protect  the  titles 
of  citizens  to  the  lands  which  they  hold  under  grants  is- 
sued by  the  State;  and  to  have,  if  practicable,  the  bound- 
ary fixed  so  as  to  retain  and  keep  the  fractional  lots  of  land 
sold  by  Georgia,  within  the  jurisdiction  of  this  State.'' 
Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  energies  of  both  States  were 
taxed  to  their  utmost  capacity  by  the  existing  war,  and 
thai  the  official  term  of  Gov.  Perry  was  near  its  expirai 
1  delay.ed  action  till  after  fcbe  inauguration  of  Gov.  Milton, 
when  I  transmitted  to  him  a  copy  of  the  resolutions  of  our 
last  Legislature,  and  invited  his  attention  to  the  subject. 
He  replied,  that  he  would  lay  the  resolutions  before  the 
Legislature  of  Florida.  I  fcransinif  herewith  a  copy  of  the 
correspondence,  which  is  all  that  has  transpired  siqce  the 
adjournment  of  the  last  session.  Should  I  receive  notice  p 
any  action  on  the  part  of  the  Legislature  of  Florida  on  1  Li- 
subject  prior  to  your  adjournment,  you  will  be  promptly 
informed  of  the  fact. 

THE    CONFEDERATE    WAU    TAX. 

The  tin -lily-fourth  teeiivn  of  the  Act  passed  by  the  Con- 
gress of  the  Confederate  States  tor  the  collection  of  a  War 
Tax,  is  in  these  words  : 

"If  any  State  shall,  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  April 
next,  pay,  in  the  Treasury  notes  of  the  Confederate  States, 
or  in  specie,  the  taxes  assessed  against  the  citizens  of  such 
State,  less  ten  per  centum  thereon,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  notify  the  same  to  the 
several  tax  collectors  in  such  State,  and  thereupon  their 
authority  and  duty  under  this  Act  shall  cease." 

In  a  previous  p.irt  of  the  Act,  provision  is  made  for  the 
appointment  of  Assessors  by  the  Confederate  Government, 
and  the  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  each  State.  It 
would  seem,  therefore,  that  there  is  no  way  of  ascertain- 
ing the  amount  which  each  State  is  required  to  pay  till 
this  assessment  is  made.  After  this  is  done,  and  the  sum 
for  which  the  State  is  liable  is  known,  each  State  may  pay 


26 

this  sum  into  the  Treasury,  in  gold  and  silver.  Of  Confed- 
erate Treasury  notes,  less  ten  per  centum,  and  thereb\ 
prevent  the  collection  of  the  same  by  Confederate  efietm 
While  I  would  h;ive  greatly  preferred  that  Congress  should 
have  apportioned  the  mum  id  be  raised  anions:  the  States, 
without  the  intervention  of  Confederate  Assessors,  it  is 
much  better,  in  inv  opinion,  that  we  ;it  least  prevent  ;hc 
Confederate  Ta.\-(  :<n  Ihtci-s  from  making  theif  appearance 
anftmg  us,  when  we  can  Bave  ten  per  centum  upon  the 
whole  sum  by  collecting  it  under  State  authority,  and  pay- 
ii  u  11  into  the  Confederate  Treasury;  arid  1  think  it  would 
he  more  satisfactory  to  our  people  that  they  he  visited  by 
the  Tax-roll.  Tiers  of  hut  one  <  Government.  1  therefor,'  re* 
commend  such  legislation  as  may  be  necessary  tu  secure 
the  collection  of  Georgians  quota  by  her  own  State  Cdftec- 
tors,  eitner  those  who  collect  the  State  tax,  of  others $0 he 
appointed  by  State  authority  for  that  purpose,  and  its  pay- 
ment, when  collected,  into  the  Confederate  Treasury.  The 
State  Collectors  could  afford  to  do  the  labor  for  a  very 
small  per  centum  on  so  targe  a  sum.  While  the  State,  by 
the  adoption  of  this  policv.  would  act  upon  a  principle 
alike  compatihle  with  her  dignity  and  sovereignty,  she 
.von!,!  snve  to  her  Treasurv  ;i  verv  considerable  sum  in  the 
difference  between  the  actual  cost  of  collection,  and  the 
sum  allowed  her  on  that  account.  Should  it  become  the 
policy  of  the  Confederate  Government  in  the  future,  to 
aholish  our  tariff  system,  with  all  the  expense  and  corrup- 
tion that  attended  the  system  in  the  old  Government,  sttch 

a  course    might  greatly  lessen  the  expenses   of  the    Covern- 
ment,  and  cause  the   people   to    hold    their  public  servants 
toa  much  more^strict  accountability   lor  wasteful  expoudi- 
:  and  in  that  event,  1  am  of  opinion  that  the  amount  oec- 
ry  to  the  support   of  Grovevnmeut,    should  he  justly 

apportioned  among  the   States,  and    each    State    should  he 

permitted*  by  her  own  Collectors,  if  her  people  prefer  it,  to 
■  her  own  quota,  and  pay  it  into  the  Treasury,  witftioul 

intervention  of  Confederate  Collectors. 

com.\!i-:i;cia!.  !xi>kit.ni>i:>;ci:. 

The  contest  in  which  wo  are  engaged  must,  it.  is  admit- 
!''d  hy  all,  re;  nh  in  our  polit  ical  independence,  lint  our 
deliverance,  from  political  bondage  will  he  of  little  advan- 
tage if  we  remain  in  a  stale  of  commeivial  dependence. 
If  our  exchanges  at  the  end  of  the  war,  are  still  to  he  made 
through  New  York  and  other  Northern  Ports;  our  Cotton 
shipped  upon  Northern  ships  by  way  of  New  York  to  Eu- 
rope; taxed  with  increased  freights,  insurance,  commissions, 
wharfage,  and  other  incidental  expenses  incurred  upon  that 
route;  and  our  goods  imported  over  the  same  line  burden- 
ed with  the  usual  expense  to  us,  and  profits  to   the  North- 


ern  merchant,  which  must  result  from  indirect  importations  ; 
we  shall  remain  in  fact,  subject  to  Northern  rule,  and  our 
political  destinies  will  soon  be  controlled  by  those  who 
have  our  commercial  interests  under  their  power.  This  evil 
can  only  be  prevented  by  the  inauguration  of  a  sys- 
tem which  will  secure  direct  trade  and  direct  ex- 
changes with  Europe.  It  is  a  question  well  worthy  the 
consideration  of  Congress,  whether  this  object  cannot  be 
better  accomplished  by  the  establishment  of  free  trade 
with  all  the  world.  Your  predecessors,  at  the  last 
session,  duly  appreciating  the  importance  of  this  question, 
passed  an  act  incorporating  the  '-Belgian  American  Compa- 
ny," and  authorizing  the  Governor  to  pledge  the  State  to 
secure  to  the  Company  what  was  considered  reasonable  pro- 
tits  on  the  amount  invested  in  a  line  of  steamers  to  run  di- 
rect between.  Savannah  and  some  commercial  point  in  Eu- 
rope, provided  the  guaraniee  of  the  State  should  not  ex- 
ceed one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  per  annum,  for  live 
years.  The  act  also  made  it  the  duty  of  the  Governor  to  ap- 
point a  \  'ommis.sioner  to  Europe  to  negotiate  an  arrangement 
for  the  line.  In  obedience  to  this  requirement  of  the  stat- 
ute, I  appointed  the  Hon.  T.  Butler  King,  Commissioner, 
and  sent  him  to  Europe  early  in  the  Spring,  I  have  re- 
ceived but  a  single  dispatch  from  Mr.  King  since  his  depart- 
ure. In  this,  he  inform 8  me  that  he  has  forwarded  several 
others  which  I  have  not  received. 

As  it  is  imposible  to  foretell  what  may  be  the  result  of 
Mr.  King's  mission,  I  beg  leave  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
General  Assembly  to  the  fact  that  an  association  of  Geor- 
gians of  high  character,  and  well  known  financial  and 
commercial  ability,  is  now  being  formed,  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  at  as  early  a  day  as  possible,  £  line  of  steam- 
era  between  Savannah  and  such  commercial  port  in  Europe, 
as  offers  the  greatest  inducements  and  i'acilities  for  direct 
trade  and  intercourse. 

If  the  legislature  will  incorporate  the  company  and  sub- 
scribe, for  the  State,  $200,000  to  its  capital  stock,  and 
grant  to  it  a  subsidy  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  per  annum, 
for  five  years,  1  am  informed  that  the  whole  capital  stock  will 
be  at  once  taken,  and  the  ships  purchased,  ready  to  be  placed 
upon  the  line  immediately  after  the  removal  of  the  block- 
ade. This  would*  cos;  the  State  less  than  she  has  proposed 
to  guarantee  to  a  foreign  company.  And  as  the  line  in 
this  case,  would  be  owned  jointly  by  the  State,  and  an  as- 
sociation of  her  most  'enterprising  citizens,  there  would 
seem  to  be  weighty  reasons,  why  our  people  should  prefer 
it,  to  any  line  controlled  by  foreign  capitalists,  who  would 
have  no  preference  for  a  Georgia  port  as  the  American  ter- 
minus of  the  line,  if  superior  inducements  should  at  any 
future  time  be  offered  by  any  other  Southern  city. 


So  soon  as  the  blockade  is  raised,  ir  will  becomes  matter  of 
the  first  importance  that  the  line  be  immediatelv  put  in 
operation,  and  that  permanent  and  sale  arrangements  bt. 
mtfle  with  European  capitalists  tor  advances  upon  cotton, 
and  h»r  tin-  regulation  of  our  exchanges  upon  a  just  and 
equitable  basis. 

Nocountrv  on  the  gtebepossesses  more  natural  advantages, 

and  no  country  has  suffered  greater  wrong  than  has  been 
inflicted  upon  the  South  for  the  last  qUartet  of  S  ccnturv, 
under  the  unjust  and  ini(|uitous  system  of  legislation  adop- 
ted by  the  <  ioverimient  of  the  United  States.  The  Union  has 
at  hist  heen  severed  beyond  the  possibility  pf  re-construc- 
tion :  and  the  Southern  States  are  im  Longer  commercially, 
nor  politically,  the  appendages  of  provinces  of  the  Northern 
Government,  hut  they  are  free, sovereign, and  independent, 
while  that  Government  has  become  a  Military  despotism. 
If  the  people  of  the  South  are  true  to  their  own  interests, 
they  will  never  in  future  have  any  political  connection  wit,. 
tin1  people  of  the  North,  nor  permit  their  eommerciaj rela- 
ihuisto  be  controlled  by  Northern  legislation  or  Northern 
capital.  The  South  was  notonly  the  greal  productive  seetio:: 
of  the  old  Union,  furnishing  mosl  of  its  exports,  but  it  was 
the  balance  wheel  which  kept  the  machinery  of  Republican 
Government  in  regular  motion,  and  its  trade  was  the 
great  artery  of  life  to  the  Northern  section.  With 
every  advantage  of  soil  and  climate,  and  all  the  mate- 
rial elements  of  greatness,  do  longer  compelled  to  submit 
bo  an  unjust  draft  upon  her  industrial  pursuits  to  build  up 
and  pamper  the  power  of  a  haughty  rival  section,  the 
South  seems  to  hold  in  her  own  hands,  under  the  smib 
a  kind  Providence,  the  high  destiny  of  her  own  future. 

oil:    COMl'HTKXrV  |'n|;    sKI. !'-<;<  >VKKNMK.\T. 

He  who  has  read  history  attentively,  and  studied  carefully 
thetheory  of  <  Jovermnent,  can  have  but  little  difficulty  in  ar- 
riving at  the  conclusion,  that  a  Republican  (  iovernment 
only  be  maintained  upon  the  basis  of  dofflesl  re  slavery.  The 
assertion,  so  often  repeated,  that  our  people  are  competent  for 
self  government,  is  no  doubt  true  when  properly  qualified  ; 
but  if  it  is  intended  by  the  term,  "pespfe,*4  to  include  the. 
whole  people,  and  to  permit  all  of  every  class  white  and 
black  indiscriminately  to  exercise  political  rights,  it  is  then 
doubtless  untrue.  The  capacity  of  the  people  for  self-gov- 
ernment, depends  upon  their  virtue  and  intelligence, 
and  the  experiments  made  in  France  and  other  en- 
lightened countries,  where  domestic  slavery  is  not  tolerated, 
have  shown  that  sufficient  virtue  and  intelligence  never  ex- 
ist to  enable  the  people  to  perform  the  task,  when  the 
whole  mass  of  the  people  of  every  class  are  permitted  to 
participate  actively  in  the  affairs  of  the  State.  Hence,  the 
general  rule,  that  a  country  which  does  not  tolerate  domes- 


29 


tic  slavery,  is  governed  by  monarchy.     It  is  admitted  that 
the  opposite  of  the  rule  is  not  always  true,  as  some  coun- 
tries, like  Brazil  and  Spain,  tolerate  domestic  slavery,  and 
are  governed  by  monarchy.     Nor  is  the  rule  itself  probably 
without  a  single  exception,  as  in  the    case  of  Switzerland, 
winch,  on  account  of  its  peculiar  locality  and  condition,  is 
tolerated  as  a  republic  by  the  other  governments  of  Europe. 
Take,  as  a«  illustration,   the  people   of  the    Confederate 
States,  and  of  the  United  States.     We  say  the  people  of  the 
Confederate   Slates  are  competent    to  govern    themselves. 
This  is  true  in  the  sense  in  which  the  expression    is   used ; 
but    if    we  use   the   term  ^people!'    in   its    broadest    sense,' 
and  embraee  the   four  millions  of  negroes   as  a  part  of  the 
people,  entitled  to  exercise  poll*  ieal  rights, then  it  is  not  true. 
The  peopled' the  United  Stales  are  intelligent  and  enlight- 
ened, but  the  whole  people,  including  menial  servants,   Im- 
ported paupers,  and    live   negroes,   all    under  their  theorv 
possessing  and  exercising  equal  rights   and   equal    powerat 
the    ballot  box,  are  certainly   iiicompelont    to  govern  them- 
selves.    Hence  that    government   must    soon  Verminate   in 
monarchy. 

Intimately      connected      with     the      above     cause,     is 
another  that  must  tend  to  hasten  the  result.     I  allude  to  the 
irreconcilable  conflict,  which,  under  their  domestic  system, 
exists,  and  nms:  continue  to  increase,  between  ( lABITAL  and 
LUiou.     There,  the  capitalist  who  desires  to  employ  labor  has 
no  interest  in  the  person  of  the   laborer,  but  only  an  inter- 
est in  his  <hy'*  work.     He  is  under  no  obligation  other  than 
the  common  dictates  of  humanity  to  provide  for  the  wants 
oi   the  laborer  or  his  family  in  case  of  sickness  or  other  mis- 
fortune.    It  follows  that  it  is  the  interest  of  the  combined 
capitalists    of    the    North   to    depress    the   price  of  labor 
and  procure  work  as  low  as  possible.     On  the  other  hand, 
the  laboring  class  is  interested  in  keeping  up  the  price  of  la- 
bor.    In  this  conflict,  if  the  laboring  class  strike  for  higher 
wages,  when  prices  are  no  longer  remunerative,   the  com- 
petition for  employment  which   will   be  produced   by   the 
annual  importation  of  very  large  numbers  of  foreign  pau- 
pers, will  give  the  capitalists  greatly  the  advantagem  their 
efforts  to  maintain  low    prices.     This,  together  with   the 
consequent  necessities  of  the  laboring  class,  will   naturally 
fOSter  the  agrarian  feeling  already  engendered,  and  the  con- 
flict will  become  constant  and  bitter.     The  laboring  class 
including  the  lowest  menial  servants,   and  naturalized  for- 
eign paupers,  being  voters  will  naturally  have    the  advan- 
tage   at   the    ballot  box,  on  account  of  their  superiority  of 
numbers.     This  will  induce  the  capitalists,  on    the  other 
hand,  to  use  their  money  freely  to  influence   the  elections 
which  will  be  productive  of  increased  rottenness  and  cor- 
ruption in  the  body  politic.     Riots  and  mobs  will  grow  out 


30 

<>f  the  contest,  till  thinking  men,  discovering  the   tottering 

basis  upon  which  society  rests.  and  the  insecurity  of  prop- 
erty, will  naturally  be  induced  to  seek  protection  in  a 
stronger  form  of  government. 

Amid  this  chaos  and  confusion,  in  the  throes  of  isola- 
tion, some  master  spirit  with  great  ability  and  ambition, 
will  attract  attention  and  win  popular  applause.  This  will 
place  him  in  position  to  command,  when  appealing  to  the 
necessities  of  the  capitalists  be  will  engage  to  make  his 
sword  their  protector,  and  to  distribute  the  honors  of  the 
Empire  among  them,  if  they  will  make  their  gold  the  pil- 
lars of  his  throne.  The  result  will  be,  that  the  country 
will  seek  repose  in  the  downfall  of  Republicanism,  and  the 
establishment  of  .Monarchy. 

The  very  opposite  of  all  this  is  true  in  the  Confederate 
States.  Here,  domestic  slavery  is  a  fundamental  part  of  our 
social  system.  We  have  over  four  millions  of  negroes  who 
are  the  menial  class  of  our  society.  They  have  no  politi- 
cal rights  and  seek  none  :  they  take  no  part  in  the  Govern- 
ment, but  are  a  dependent  class,  generally  contented  and 
happy,  having  all  their  natural  wants  supplied  by  those  who 
are  responsible  under  our  laws  for  their  humane  and  kind 
treatment.  In  case  of  sickness,  or  permanent  bodily  in- 
firmity, they  are  not  left  as  are  the  paupers  of  the  North, 
to  the  cold  charities  of  the  world,  for  the  necessaries  of  lite; 
but  public  opinion  and  the  laws  of  the  land,  compel  their 
owners  to  make  provision  for  their  wants  and  to  treat  them 
with  humanity  and  kindness.  Here  the  white  class  is  the 
ruling  class.  When  we  say  our  people  are  competent  to 
the  task  of  self-government,  we  mean  white  jteopkt  But  it 
may  be  said,  the  paupers  of  the  North,  who  participate  in 
the  government,  are  generally  white  people.  This  is  ad- 
mitted, but  many  of  them  are  white  people  of  the  lowest 
menial  class  ;  so  low  that  there  is  no  class  below  them,  and 
they  lack  not  only  intelligence  but  pride  of  character. 
Hence  their  votes  are  bought  and  sold  in  the  market. 
With  us  every  white  man,  whether  native  or  of  foreign 
birth,  feels  and  knows  that  he  belongs  to  the  ruling 
ct&tt,  and  that  there  is  a  menial  class  of  millions  of 
persons  entirely  below  him.  This  inspires  him  with 
pride  of  character  which  fits  him  to  participate  in  the 
political  affairs  of  the  State.  If  there  are  individual  excep- 
tions to  this  rale,  they  are  not  sufficiently  numerous  to  be 
severely  felt,  or  to  affect  materially  the  results  in  the  choice 
of  rulers.  Again,  instead  of  perpetual  conflict  under  our 
social  system  between  capital  and  labor,  we  have  the  most 
perfect  harmony.  We  have  few  capitalists  who  are  not 
slaveholders.  Each  slaveholder  has  an  interest  not  only  in 
the  day's  labor,  or  the  week's  labor,  but  in  the  person  of  the 
laborer  ;  in  his  flesh  and  his  blood,  his  muscle  and  his  bone  ; 
in  a  word,  the   man   is  his.     If,  therefore,  the  labor  of  the 


31 

man  is  worth  one  dollar  per  day,  the  man,  himself,  is  worth 
one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and  he  who  owns 
one  hundred  of  these  laborers  is  a  rich  man,  and  enjoys  all 
the  importance  and  position,  which  wealth  gives  in  society. 
Reduce  the  price  of  labor  to  fifty  cents  per  day,  and  you 
greatly  reduce  the  value  of  the  laborer  in  the  market,  ami 
in  like  proportion,  you  reduce  the  value  of  the  estate  of 
the  owner.  Ii  you  reduce  the  price  of  labor  to  twenty-five 
cents  per  day,  the  laborer  cannot,  by  his  labor,  comfortably 
support  himself  and  family.  In  this  case,  as  his  labor  is 
worth  nothing  to  his  owner,  he  is  valueless,  and  the  person 
who  owns  one  hundred  such  laborers  with  the  responsibili- 
ties attaching  to  the  ownership,  is  net  only  poor,  but  has  a 
heavy  burden  annexed  to  his  poverty. 

As  most  of  our  slaves  are  owned  by  men  of  capital,  and 
as  capitalists,  like  other  men,  look  to  their  interests,  and  as 
the  value  of  the  estate  of  each  slave-holder  depends  upon 
the  value  of  labor,  it  becomes  the  interest  of  the  combined 
capital  of  the  country  to  keep  up  the  price  of  labor  to  sus- 
tain the  value  of  property.  The  poor  white  laborer  is  also 
interested  in  keeping  up  the  price  of  labor,  as  he  has  to 
work  to  support  himself  and  family,  and  if  he  is  intelligent 
and  examines  this  question,  In;  cannot  fail  to  see  that  the 
surest  way  to  keep  up  the  price  of  his  own  labor,  is  to  sus- 
tain the  institution  of  slavery.  If  the  labor  of  the  negro  i> 
worth  in  the  market  one  dollar  per  day,  the  labor  of  the 
white  man  is  worth  more,  or  certainly  as  much;  and  while 
the  institution  of  slavery  is  maintained,  every  capitalist  in 
the  country  who  owns  slaves,  is  interested  in,  and  will  use 
his  influence  to  keep  up,  the  value  of  labor,  and  the  poor 
white  man  gets  the  influence  of  his  more  wealthy  and  pow- 
erful neighbor  in  sustaining  the  price  of  his  labor.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  slavery  is  abolished,  it  becomes  in  the  South, 
as  it  now  is  in  the  North,  the  interest  of  the  combined  cap- 
ital of  the  country  to  depress  labor,  and  get  it  as  low  as 
possible,  as  the  capitalist  would  then  be  no  longer  interested 
in  the  person  of  the  laborer,  and  the  value  of  his  estate 
would  be  no  longer  dependent  upon  the  price  of  labor. — 
The  interest  of  the  capitalist  in  the  last  case,  would  be  to 
iret  labor  low,  and  as  the  negro  would,  when  free,  be  placed 
nearer  a  state  of  equality  with  the  white  laborer,  and  would 
have  a  right  to  make  his  own  contracts,  he  would  come 
into  direct  competition  with  the  poor  white  laborer,  and 
would  soon  under-bid  him,  and  reduce  the  price  of  labor  to 
as  low  a  rate  as  would  sustain  life.  This  would  bring  ruin 
upon  the  poor  white  man,  and  degrade  his  family  far  below 
their  present  condition.  It  is  very  clear,  therefore,  while 
the  institution  of  slavery  exists,  that  it  is  the  interest  of  the 
rich  man  to  sustain  the  price  of  the  labor  of  the  poor  white 
laborer ;  and  that  it  is,  for  the  same  reason,  the  interest  of 


the  poor  white  laborer  to  sustain  and  pi  e  insti- 

tution of  uegre  slavery.  In  other  words,  the  rich  and  poor 
,irv  alike  interested  in  sustaining  slavery  and  in  sustaining 
the  price  ot  labor.  The  slaves  themselves  are  also  interest- 
ed, as  they  are  more  civilized,  mure  christianized,  and  in  a 
better  condition  than  the  like  number  of  their  race  ever 
in  any  other  country  or  climate.      If  the   price  pf   la- 

ishigh,  and  tin1  slave  is  worth  a  high  juice  in  the  mar- 

fche  owner   ha-  a    heavy  pecuniary  interest  in  addition 

to  the  common  sympathy  of  our  nature  to  prompt  him  to 

e  well,  as  his  value  r<>  his  ow  ner  depends  upon 

the  preservation  of  his  life  and  health,  and  these  depend 

much  upon  the    manner  in   which   he    is    clothed,  and  led, 

!  to  in  sickn. 

From  the  foregoing  reflections,  it  naturally  follows,  that 

•..hole  social  system  is  one  of  periecd  homogeneity  ot' 
interest,  where  every  cla>s  of  societyis  interested  ineustain- 

bhe  interest  of  every  other  class.  We  have  all  the  har- 
monious elements  necessary  Id  the  perpetuity  of  that  re- 
publican and  religious  liberty  bequeathed  to  us  by  our 
fathers;  with  none  of  the  distracting  and  conflicting  ele- 
ments which  must  destroy  both  in  the  Northern  States, 
and  which  have  already  precipitated  the  country  into  a 
bloody  revolution,  and  attempted  to  hurl  to  the  ground  the 
fairest  structure  ever  dedicated  to  Liberty  on  the  face  of 
the  Globe.     To  sustain  this  priceless  heritage  is  the  high* 

earthly  duty  of  the  christian  and  the  patriot.  Ruthless 
and  bloody  hands  have  been  laid  upon  it.  To  wrest  it  from 
them  may  cost  hundreds  of  millions  of  treasure,  and 
many  thousands  of  the  most  invaluable  lives  of  the  South. 
he  who  would  stop  to  count  the  cost,  would  do  well 
to  ask  himself  what  is  my  property  worth  when  1  am  a 
slave?  or,  What  is  my  life  worth,  if,  by  saving  it,  1  must 
transmit  a  heritage  of  bondage  to  my  children  V  If  we  are 
conquered,  our  property  is  confiscated,  and  we  and  our 
children  are  slaves  to  Northern  avarice  and  Northern  inso- 
lence. Sooner  than  submit  to  this,  1  would  cheerfully  ex- 
pend in  the  cause  the  last  dollar  I  could  raise,  and  would 
fervently  pray,  like  Sampson  of  old,  that  God  would  give 
me  strength  to  lay  hold  upon  the  pillars  of  the  edifice,  and 
would  enable  me  while  bending  with  its  weight,  to  die  a 
glorious  death  beneath  the  crumbling  ruins  of  that  Temple 
of  Southern  freedom  which  basso  long  attracted  the  world 
by  the  splendor  of  its  magnificence. 

JOSEPH  E.  BROWN. 


Hollinger 

pH8.5 

Mill  Run  F3-1955 


